Red Dawn
by WishingOnMyStar
Summary: Edward was too late, in the ballet studio. He hesitated, just a moment too long, and by then, James’s venom had spread too far. Bella’s life if things had gone differently in Phoenix. T for possible strong language.
1. Chapter 1: Too Late

**Summary:** Edward was too late, in the ballet studio. He hesitated, just a moment too long, and by then, James's venom had spread too far. Bella's life if things had gone differently in Phoenix.

**Disclaimer:** The Twilight Saga and all its characters are property of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer (who I am not). There is no copyright infringement intended.

**A/N:** So I'm thinking of trying something a little different. One of those "What if" stories. Most of this chapter is taken from Chapter 22 and 23 of Twilight. But you twilighters will know pretty quickly where that changes. I hope you enjoy!

-Wish

_**Chapter 1: Too Late**_

He stepped back, and began to circle, casually, as if he were trying to get a better view of a statue in a museum. His face was still open and friendly as he decided where to start.

Then he slumped forward, into a crouch I recognized, and his pleasant smile slowly widened, grew, till it wasn't a smile at all but a contortion of teeth, exposed and glistening.

I couldn't help myself—I tried to run. As useless as I knew it would be, as weak as my knees already were, panic took over, and I bolted for the emergency door.

He was in front of me in a flash. I didn't see if he used his hand or his foot, it was too fast. A crushing blow struck my chest—I felt myself flying backward, and then heard the crunch as my head bashed into the mirrors. The glass buckled, some of the pieces shattering and splintering on the floor beside me.

I was too stunned to feel the pain. I couldn't breathe yet.

He walked toward me slowly.

"That's a very nice effect," he said, examining the mess of glass, his voice friendly again. "I thought this room would be visually dramatic for my little film. That's why I picked this place to meet you. It's perfect, isn't it?"

I ignored him, scrambling on my hands and knees, crawling toward the other door.

He was over my at once, his foot stepping down hard on my leg. I heard the sickening snap before I felt it. But then I _did_ feel it, and I couldn't hold back my scream of agony. I twisted up to reach for my leg, and he was standing over me, smiling.

"Would you like to rethink your last request?" he asked pleasantly. His toe nudged my broken leg and I heard a piercing scream. With a shock, I realized it was mine.

"Wouldn't you rather have Edward try to find me?" he prompted.

"No!" I croaked. "No, Edward, don't—" And then something smashed into my face, throwing me back into the broken mirrors.

Over the pain of my leg, I felt the sharp rip across my scalp where the glass cut into it. And then the warm wetness began to spread through my hair with alarming speed. I could feel it soaking the shoulder of my shirt, hear it dripping on the wood below. The smell of it twisted my stomach.

Through the nausea and dizziness I saw something that gave me a sudden, final shred of hope. His eyes, merely intent before, now burned with an uncontrollable need. The blood—spreading crimson across my white shirt, pooling rapidly on the floor—was driving him mad with thirst. No matter his original intentions, he couldn't draw this out much longer.

Let it be quick now, was all I could hope as the flow of blood from my head sucked my consciousness away with it. My eyes were closing.

I heard, as if from underwater, the final growl of the hunter. I could see, through the long tunnels my eyes had become, his dark shape coming toward me. With my last effort, my hand instinctively raised to protect my face. My eyes closed, and I drifted.

As I drifted, I dreamed.

Where I floated, under the dark water, I heard the happiest sound my mind could conjure up—as beautiful, as uplifting, as it was ghastly. It was another snarl; a deeper, wilder roar that rang with fury.

I was brought back, almost to the surface, by a sharp pain slashing my upraised hand, but I couldn't find my way back far enough to open my eyes.

And then I knew I was dead.

Because, through the heavy water, I heard the sound of an angel calling my name, calling me to the only heaven I wanted.

"Oh no, Bella, no!" the angel's voice cried in horror.

Behind that longed-for sound was another noise—an awful tumult that my mind shied away from. A vicious bass growling, a shocking snapping sound, and a high keening, suddenly breaking off…

I tried to concentrate on the angel's voice instead.

"Bella, please! Bella, listen to me, please, please, Bella, please!" he begged.

Yes, I wanted to say. Anything. But I couldn't find my lips.

"Carlisle!" the angel called, agony in his perfect voice. "Bella, Bella, no, oh please, no, no!" And the angel was sobbing tearless, broken sobs.

The angel shouldn't weep, it was wrong. I tried to find him, to tell him everything was fine, but the water was so deep, it was pressing on me, and I couldn't breathe.

There was a point of pressure against my head. It hurt. Then, as the pain broke through the darkness to me, other pains came, stronger pains. I cried out, gasping, breaking through the dark pool.

"Bella!" the angel cried.

"She's lost some blood, but the head wound isn't deep," a calm voice informed me. "Watch out for her leg, it's broken."

A howl of rage strangled at the angel's lips.

I felt a sharp stab in my side. This couldn't be heaven, could it? There was too much pain for that.

"Some ribs, too, I think," the methodical voice continued.

But the sharp pains were fading. There was a new pain, a scalding pain in my hand that was overshadowing everything else.

Someone was burning me.

"Edward," I tried to tell him, but my voice was so heavy and slow. I couldn't understand myself.

"Bella, you're going to be fine. Can you hear me, Bella? I love you."

"Edward," I tried again. My voice was a little clearer.

"Yes, I'm here."

"It hurts," I whimpered.

"I know, Bella, I know"—and then, away from me, anguished—"can't you do anything?"

"My bag, please…Hold your breath, Alice, it will help," Carlisle promised.

"Alice?" I groaned.

"She's here, she knew where to find you."

"My hand hurts," I tried to tell him.

"I know, Bella. Carlisle will give you something, it will stop."

"My hand is burning!" I screamed, finally breaking through the last of the darkness, my eyes fluttering open. I couldn't see his face, something dark and warm was clouding my eyes. Why couldn't they see the fire and put it out?

His voice was frightened. "Bella?"

"The fire! Someone stop the fire!" I screamed as it burned me.

"Carlisle! Her hand!"

"He bit her." Carlisle's voice was no longer calm, it was appalled.

I heard Edward catch his breath in horror.

"Edward, you have to do it." It was Alice's voice, close by my head. Cool fingers brushed at the wetness in my eyes.

"No!" he bellowed.

"Alice," I moaned.

"There may be a chance," Carlisle said.

"What?" Edward begged.

"See if you can suck the venom back out. The wound is fairly clean." As Carlisle spoke, I could feel more pressure on my head, something poking and pulling at my scalp. The pain of it was lost in the pain of the fire.

"Will that work?" Alice's voice was strained.

"I don't know," Carlisle said. "But we have to hurry."

"Carlisle, I…" Edward hesitated. "I don't know if I can do that." There was agony in his beautiful voice again.

"It's your decision, Edward, either way. I can't help you. I have to get this bleeding stopped here if you're going to be taking blood from her hand."

I writhed in the grip of the fiery torture, the movement making the pain in my leg flare sickeningly. The fire was spreading down my arm, towards my chest. I could hardly feel anything else beyond the burning.

"Edward!" I screamed. I realized my eyes were closed again. I opened them, desperate to find his face. And I found him. Finally, I could see his perfect face, staring at me, twisted into a mask of indecision and pain.

"Alice, get me something to brace her leg!" Carlisle was bent over me, working on my head. "Edward, you must do it now, or it will be too late."

Edward's face was drawn, doubt and uncertainty in his eyes. He didn't know if he could. He didn't trust himself like I trusted him.

"I can't, Carlisle," he growled. "I'm not strong enough! I won't be able to stop in time!"

"I can't help you." Carlisle answered, his voice firm. "You have to find the will to stop, Edward! Now or it will be too late."

The burning was racing through my body. I could feel it crawling up my neck and across my chest. My heart pounded in my chest as the tendrils of flame lapped at it.

"Edward!" I screamed.

I saw his jaw tighten in determination as he reached for my hand. The burning had reached my heart and it thundered in my chest. I was sure they could all hear it, but Edward showed no signs of it. I felt his cool, strong fingers on my burning arm, locking it in place. Then his head bent over it, and his cold lips pressed against my skin.

The pain worsened. I was feeling weaker and weaker and the fire was still spreading, now down my legs and up my neck. My heart stuttered in my chest. I could no longer feel the arm Edward held, but that didn't matter anymore, because the fire was everywhere else.

A feeble moan escaped my lips as the darkness threatened me again. My vision was fading at the edges and I desperately tried to focus on Edward. His mouth was still at my arm, still taking my blood.

"Edward, stop you're killing her." Carlisle voice sounded far away, but I could still hear the urgency.

Edward didn't stop. He kept taking more and more of my blood and I began slipping back into unconsciousness. I could barely move anymore. Between the weakness and the fire, I was paralyzed. I couldn't have thrashed away from the pain if I'd wanted to.

"Edward!" Carlisle shouted. "Stop!"

Edward wrenched his lips from my arm. I could see blood on his lips. My blood. "There's still venom!" he replied, his voice full of panic. "I can't get it all!"

"You'll kill her if you take anymore," Carlisle replied. "We're going to have to let the change occur."

"NO!" Edward's anguished yell broke through the dark that was threatening to swamp me. It pierced through me better than any knife or vampire's teeth could've. I began to regain feeling in my arm as the fire surged back down my veins. It pinched and burned and my body seized involuntarily. My leg heaved against the heaviness, holding it to the floor. Carlisle's grip on my head slipped a fraction of an inch, before he regained control.

"We have to move her," he said. "She can't stay here. Not for three days."

"Not the hotel, Carlisle," Alice advised. "I know where to take her. Come."

Three sets of strong hands gripped my body. The only reason I could feel them through the burning was because they were so cold. The burning was everywhere now, drowning out the pain from my head and from my leg. I couldn't stand it. I was already so weak, I just wanted to die. I wanted to slip away again into nothingness.

_Just kill me,_ I begged silently. I couldn't speak. I didn't have the strength. It was agony to pull in each labored breath. _Please, kill me. End the pain!_ I willed Edward to hear my thoughts for once. I wanted him to hear me, and heed them.

But Edward did not answer my thoughts. He could only repeat one phrase over and over again. "I'm sorry, Bella. I'm so sorry." His voice seemed to drift away, becoming farther and farther. I was too weak. I couldn't do it. I gave myself over to the darkness, letting it swamp me and swallow me up in its eternal oblivion.

**A/N2: **I'm not so sure about this story, so I'm going to go with what you readers think. If I get ten positive reviews on this story, (or five really urgent PM's from one or more) then I'll continue on with the story. Otherwise, it will forever remain a fantasy in my head.

-Wish


	2. Chapter 2: Anew

**A/N: **Thank you all so much for your reviews of the last chapter. You'll all be happy to know that I have decided to keep going for now. I hope you enjoy this chapter. It was difficult to write. I had to borrow in some places from SM's Chapter 19 of Breaking Dawn. I hope you all don't mind. It wasn't heavily, just a few phrases here and there to help describe the changing.

Enjoy!

-Wish

P.S. In case any of you were wondering, Bella will have the same shield ability as in Breaking Dawn. She's not going to start being able to shoot lasers out of her eyes or take on Edward's power. She's still Bella.

_**Chapter 2: Anew**_

Darkness. It was cold and empty and painless. I could see nothing, hear nothing, smell nothing, _feel_ nothing. I couldn't tell if it was night or day, sunny or overcast. Time ceased to mean anything to me. For all I knew, a lifetime could've passed in the darkness, and I wouldn't have known. I didn't know where I was; only that it was empty. It was a void of nothingness, and after the intensity of the venom, I welcomed it. I embraced the darkness, happy that I couldn't feel anything.

But slowly, the darkness began to change. At first, it was an uncomfortable tingling in my body, like when you sit on your foot for too long and the blood comes rushing back to it. The tingling was uncomfortable, but it didn't hurt.

At least, it didn't at first. Then the tingling became more virulent. The little pins and needles became more like knives. I could feel my muscles convulse and my breath hitched in my throat. The pain increased more. My skin felt like it was being heated over a fire. My bones felt like they were being snapped, again and again. And all the while, my head was pounding, like someone was beating me with a club to a steady rhythm. My body was coming closer to the flames. I could feel them lapping at me. It was too hot. I was too close.

Then it felt like was thrown in. The flames were everywhere. I screamed in shock and bewilderment. Where had my blissful darkness gone? Everything was on fire! It was like I was being burned at the stake. I tried to get away. I tried to wriggle away from the fire, but my arms and legs were bound. No matter how I pulled, the ties didn't give an inch. I screamed and screamed at the inferno. I cried out as a fresh surge of fire attacked my frantically pounding heart. I couldn't think of anything else. There was only the pain. I begged for it to stop. Pleaded with every ounce of strength I could muster. But it continued, unabated. The endless burn raged on.

I remembered what had led me to this burning. The desperate flight from Forks, the hotel in the desert, the frantic phone call, running away, meeting the tracker at the studio, and every single injury he dealt me. I could remember it fresh, and I came to long for it. The broken leg was nothing compared to this. It was like lying on a feather bed. I would be happy to trade a hundred broken legs for this burning pain.

As if to remind me of its presence or punishing me for wanting it gone, the scorching flared up in my veins. I couldn't help the cry that escaped my lips. It was agony. I was sure I was burned beyond hope of repair. I couldn't possibly be anything more than a scorched corpse of blackened, burnt flesh. I took hope in the fact that soon the fire would run out of fuel. There was only so much of me. Soon, there would be nothing left to burn, and perhaps then, I would be allowed to die.

It could have been seconds or days, weeks or years, but, eventually time came to mean something again. I counted the beats of my heart like the seconds of a minute. The pain never ceased for a moment, never let up. Yet I began to find that it wasn't all I thought about. Yes the pain was there, and it could overtake me without warning. But for whole seconds, minutes, I could think around it.

One hundred forty-eight beat of my heart later, I head a slight shuffle. The fact that I heard anything surprised me enough. Surely the fire had destroyed my ears. I tried to listen for it again, but I didn't hear anything more. Perhaps I had imagined it. I went back to counting my heartbeats.

Five hundred thirty-two and I heard more. Except this time, it was a light brushing of fabric on fabric and a soft sigh. I had no doubt now that I was hearing this. It couldn't be my imagination this time. It was too real, too substantial. I strained to hear more, and was rewarded with a softer sound. A light breathing, slow and collected, from somewhere nearby. It wasn't like the frantic beating of my own heart, or the shallow breaths that whistled through my lips between shots of pain. I began to concentrate on them. They were the slowest rhythm in the room. I focused wholeheartedly on them, only breaking when a fresh wave of pain broke through my concentration and made me cry out once more.

My thoughts continued to become more coherent as the steady breaths passed. I picked up more sounds in the room.

There were light footsteps, the whisper of air stirred by an opening door. The footsteps got closer, and I felt pressure against the inside of my wrist. I couldn't feel the coolness of the fingers. The fire blistered away every memory of cool.

"Still no change?" asked Carlisle's familiar voice.

"She still shouts every so often, but she hasn't writhed in a while. She feels relatively calm, for the most part," came Jasper's reply.

"Her heart sounds good. It's so _vital_. Even more than Emmett's. She'll be perfect."

"Have you and Edward sorted things out, with Charlie?"

"Charlie still insists on looking for her. Edward stays with him, helping."

"Is Alice alright?"

"She's fine. She says it's almost time. She wants to be here when it happens, but that remains to be seen."

There was another sigh, much like the first I'd heard. "This is too risky. Bringing her _here_, of all places? It reeks of human. Couldn't we have found an old, abandoned shack in the middle of the desert or something?"

"Alice assured me her screams would go unnoticed here," Carlisle answered. "Though I must admit, it would not have been my first choice of locations for this."

"I'm not sure how things will be when she wakes up. We'll have to get her out of here right away. The scent will drive her insane. _I'm_ having a hard enough time as is."

"I'm already making arrangements. Esme and Rosalie already know about the complications here. They'll make the necessary preparations at home. It will be temporary, until things blow over a little."

There was a slight shuffling of fabric again and I heard a soft thump that accompanied Carlisle's voice. "Alice believes it will all work out, Jasper."

The Jasper chuckled lightly in reply. "We'll you know I would never bet against Alice."

The light footsteps retreated and I was left again with the pain. I could feel myself getting stronger with each passing moment. I could smell a rich, sweet scent on the air. As I took in each shallow breath, I could almost taste it on my tongue. It was amazing, and I longed for whatever was producing that irresistible aroma. My throat was raw and dry from my screams. I wished for water or perhaps something even better, to soothe it. "The scent will drive her insane." The words echoed in my mind. They were correct. The scent _was_ driving me insane. Insane with longing, wanting. The burning in my throat flared up with my desire. I _needed_ it, whatever it was.

I tried to go back to counting. It seemed to pass the most time. Counting the slow, rhythmic breaths. I counted for a long time, ten thousand, nine hundred forty-three to be exact, before I heard more footsteps, this time louder and heavier.

"Sir, you are relieved," claimed a joking voice. I recognized it as Emmett's. There was some shuffling and then a soft thump accompanied by a loud creak. Someone new had sat down. "Alice is waiting for you outside."

There was a sudden rush of air with a short series of quick, retreating footsteps and I tried to go back to counting breaths. These were different. They were longer and more spaced out, which meant more time passed as I counted. I tried to stay focused on the breathing, but there were so many more sounds now. Odd little creaks, shuffles, taps, that all broke my concentration and drew my attention away from the steady breathing. The pain started to creep back over me as my focus slipped. More little cries escaped my mouth than usual. My muscles clenched against the pain. I desperately tried to find something to listen to. Something to think of, other than the pain, but I was losing the battle. I succumb to a particularly strong wave of pain, crying out and thrashing away. For a brief second, I felt my body falling, before something hard caught me.

"Whoa, Bells, steady girl," Emmett said. I was put back in place carefully and my torso was held down as my fit continued.

"I know it hurts, Bells, but you can do it. You can do it for Edward."

Memories flashed before my eyes, drawing me away from the pain. A handsome face, a crooked smile, a hard but loving touch, a passionate kiss. Edward. I grasped at the memories for comfort and stability, and slowly the pain seemed to weaken. Edward. The love of my life. I could do this for him. I _would_ do this for him. _Edward._

I searched my memories, coming up with one of our time in the meadow. It was one of my favorites as we lay there, just talking. The sun glinted off his perfect skin, making my breath hitch in my throat. _I love you, Edward_. I imagined myself there with him, in the meadow. I imagined being wrapped in his cool embrace. I imagined the feel of his perfect lips on my hair, my forehead, my cheeks, my own.

I was so enraptured by my own memories, I almost didn't notice when the pain began to change. On the good side, it started to fade from my fingertips and toes. It was a _slow_ process, but at least it was happening.

But then I was caught by the bad side. My throat was still parched, still bone dry. I felt like I'd been wandering a desert for a hundred years. It was like a burning fire in my throat, and it wasn't receding like the other pain. With each breath I took, it flared up anew, a scorching thirst…

And somehow, the fire in my heart got hotter. I didn't understand how that was _possible_. My thundering heart, which was already beating much too fast, picked up—the fire drove its rhythm to a new frantic pace.

"Jasper, Carlisle." Emmett's voice had an edge to it, one I hadn't heard before. I couldn't decide if it was anticipatory, or worried. Perhaps it was both.

I heard the two of them enter the room, Carlisle's steady gait with Jasper's more hesitant march. Their footsteps were so distinct now. I could tell Carlisle was on the right and was half a step in front of Jasper.

"Listen." The room was silent with the exception of my frenzied heart, pounding in my chest.

"Ah," Carlisle said. "It's almost over. Call Edward." I heard Emmett's heavy footsteps leave momentarily, I assumed to do as Carlisle said. But he was back in less than a minute.

"He and Alice can't leave just yet. It's too sunny. But they'll be here as soon as the sun goes down."

My relief at hearing Edward was coming was quickly overthrown by the excruciating pain in my heart. My extremities were all cool now, but the pain in my heart was making up for that. It was like all the pain in my body was draining to my core.

My heart took off, beating like helicopter blades or like the wings of a humming bird. It was almost a sustained note; a constant thrumming that felt like it would grind through my ribs. My back arched as my heart beat against my chest cavity, as if trying to break free. It was like the fire was dragging me up by my heart. The battle raged in my chest—my sprinting heart racing against the attacking fire. Both were losing. The fire was doomed, having consumed everything that was combustible; my heart galloped toward its last beat.

The fire condensed in my last intact organ with a final, unbearable surge. It was like a star was forming in my heart, condensing into a bright ball of fire, set to explode.

But it didn't. The surge was answered by a deep, hallow-sounding thud. My heart stuttered twice, weakly trying to hold out, and then thudded quietly again just once more.

There was absolutely no sound. No breathing. Not even my own. For a moment, I was stunned by the absence of pain. I almost missed it. It had been my one, constant companion the last few days. I had based almost everything around it, and now it was gone and I was unsure of what to do.

And then I opened my eyes and gazed above me, looking at the world anew.

**A/N2: **Please review. Let's try for another ten? Hm? You know you want to press the little green button down there. ;-)


	3. Chapter 3: Waking Up

**A/N: Here's the next chapter, Bella finally waking up. It's really long, but I think it breaks at the right place and it includes everything I wanted it to. So I hope you enjoy this chapter. It was tricky writing, but I'm fairly happy with the result.**

**-Wish**

_**Chapter 3: Waking Up**_

Everything was so _clear_. I was looking up at an unfamiliar ceiling. Directly over me was a fan with three, uncovered light bulbs. I stared up in awe at the simple bulbs, really seeing for the first time. The lights were bright, but I could plainly see the blazing filaments inside each. In the glow of the lights, I could see the colors of the rainbow. I could even make out an eighth color at the edge of the spectrum, for which I had no name. Beyond the light, I could see each ridge in the drywall ceiling. I could see every imperfection in the old, cracking paint. I could see every stain from cigarette smoke and who knows what. I could see every single dust mote in the air, floating like a billion little stars in the lights from the fan. There were a lot of them.

In was so fascinated by the overall effect, I took in a quick breath in shock. Immediately my throat screamed in protest as a battery of the most delicious scents in the world assaulted my senses. I could taste it on the air. I could smell it all around, saturated in everything. My instincts took over as I leapt off the bed, landing in a crouch and searching wildly for the source of such a mouth-watering smell. But all I saw were Carlisle, Emmett, and Jasper. I took in another short breath and the fire in my throat flared up even more. It was driving me insane. I _needed_ to find the source of this scent. I needed to sink my teeth into it. I needed to feel it running down my throat. The thirst inside me roared for it and I heard it echoed from my own chest.

"Bella." Jasper's voice was firm and immediately I felt a wave of calm wash over me. But my throat protested even harder as I sighed. I was alert for it now. And it didn't take long for me to search out the steady pumping in the next room over. The wet thumps were only a fragile wall away. It was warm and wet and would feel wonderful on my desiccated throat.

"NO!"

The split second before I crouched towards the thumping, Jasper sprang. He tackled me with a loud crack, like two boulders smashing together. I was thrown back towards the bed by the force of his blow, momentarily stunned. But my instincts quickly kicked in. I lashed out at him with all my strength, intent on knocking him free so that I could get to that wonderful, moist sound. I was almost positive what awaited me on the other side of the fragile dry wall would be better than anything in the world. But Jasper was in my way.

A snarled ripped from my throat as I swung at Jasper. But he wasn't there. The world spun over and I found myself pinned to the floor on my stomach, Jasper at my back. Emmett was right there behind him and Carlisle had moved between me and the wet thumping.

"Bella, listen to me," Carlisle said, his voice calm but firm. "You have to resist it. You don't want to do that. Trust me."

"Get off me," I growled, struggling. But Emmett and Jasper had a firm hold on me. Even though I knew I was stronger than them, together, they were overpowering me.

"Jasper," Carlisle said.

I felt another wave of calm wash over me, this one more potent than the last one. I felt my muscles relax and I stopped struggling. I was still thirsty, but my body was relaxed. There was nothing I could do about it.

"We have to get her out of here, Carlisle," Jasper said after I started to relax. "The scent is too strong here. To ingrained in everything. She won't be able to stay in control here."

I heard the swish of clothing and saw Carlisle nod out of the corner of my eye. "You're right. But it's still sunny out. We can't risk being seen in the sunlight. We have to wait until sunset." Carlisle sighed, looking down at me. "I'm so sorry, Bella," he apologized. "I realize this is very difficult for you, but I need you to try and control your thirst."

That was not what my thirst wanted to hear. It flared up again, but once more, I couldn't do anything. Jasper was still keeping me relaxed.

"It _burns_," I answered. "_Please_, let me go."

"We can't do that, Bella," Carlisle replied, explaining carefully. "That sound, that smell in the room next door, that's a person. A human being with a family of their own. You would be killing an innocent person. You don't want that, do you?"

"No," I agreed. "But it just smells _so good_! How can you stand it?"

"You will too," Carlisle reassured me. "With practice, you'll be able to withstand it just like the rest of us. But I need you to try to do it now. Try to stay calm. If you feel like you're losing control, stop breathing. Remember, you don't need oxygen anymore."

His words caught me. I didn't need to breathe anymore? Sure enough, when I thought about the action, it felt strange. There was no relief behind the influx. I didn't _need_ the air. It was just something I was used to doing. But each inhalation brought more of the sweet aroma to my throat. I felt the thirst flare up again. This time I didn't breathe again. I didn't hold my breath; I just didn't inhale after the last exhale. It wasn't painful, like it would've been before. It was _uncomfortable_, but not painful. My lungs didn't scream for air, though it was odd to not smell anything.

"Good, Bella," Carlisle complemented me. "It is difficult as a newborn, but it will get easier as the first year passes."

A newborn. The word rang in my mind. I was a newborn. My mind searched back for memories of the time before the pain. But all that came up were dark and blurry and difficult to piece together. I didn't understand why that was. The one of the most prominent memories was of the dance studio, and that was because it was riddled with intense pain. But I pushed that memory aside. Instead, I came up with a much simpler memory. It was just as fuzzy and dark, but I could recollect it almost as well as I could the dance studio one. It was of Edward. We were driving, or at least, he was driving. It was when I'd first seen him glittering in the sun, in our meadow.

"Are you ever going to tell me how old you are?" I'd asked.

He smiled back at me. Briefly, I wondered if Edward's smile would look the same to me now, as it did back then. I hoped so. I loved Edward's crooked smile. "Does it matter much?"

"No, but I still wonder… There's nothing like an unsolved mystery to keep you up at night."

"I wonder if it will upset you."

"Try me," I'd challenged.

He looked at me with a sigh, before turning back to the road. Through the memory, I could barely make out the light as it danced off his skin.

"I was born in Chicago in 1901. Carlisle found me in a hospital in the summer of 1918. I was seventeen, and dying of the Spanish Influenza." He looked back at me again, before continuing.

"I don't remember it well—it was a very long time ago, and human memories fade. I do remember how it felt, when Carlisle saved me. It's not an easy thing, not something you could forget."

I was drawn back to the present as Jasper tensed on my back. I was still pinned to the floor by him and Emmett, though Carlisle had left. I could hear him in the next room, talking on his cell phone. I could even make out the voice answering him through the speaker, but I ignored it. My thoughts returned to the fading memory. Edward had been completely honest. Back then, I'd assumed he couldn't remember because it happened almost 100 years ago. But now I realized, time had nothing to do with it. I was only hours old, and already the memories were fading. It made me anxious, to think that I might forget everything before the pain. My mom, Phil, Charlie, Phoenix, my friends.

"Bella. What's wrong?" Jasper asked. He shifted slightly, moving some of his weight off my chest.

I wasn't sure if I could answer. If I did, I'd need to breathe in. I didn't want to feel the thirst flare up again. But Jasper seemed to want me to answer him. So I took the risk.

The pain was there, and it hurt immensely, but I tried to focus around it, as I'd done throughout the burning. Forming a sentence to express myself seemed harder now than it had been. But somehow, I managed. "I can't remember," I told him. "Everything is so dark."

"You're memories are all with _human_ eyes. You're seeing everything now with vampire eyes. It's clearer."

Vampire eyes. I was a vampire. I was like Edward now. I felt a brief moment of joy and excitement at finally being just like Edward, but that was quickly overrun. What about Charlie, and Renee? Did they know where I was? Did they know what happened to me?

The answer, I knew, was a resounding no. That's why Edward and Alice weren't here. Because Charlie and Renee didn't know. Because they_ couldn't_ know. I couldn't ever see them again. Not in this state. For all they knew, I was dead in a ditch somewhere.

"It's alright, Bella." Jasper's tone was soothing, easing the remorse I felt for the loss. It was odd, feeling so much so quickly. Every emotion seemed amplified. And every thought seemed to rush into my mind and out of it within a second. It was disconcerting, to not be able to really focus on one thing.

I had gone back to holding my breath when Carlisle returned to the room, slipping his cell phone away. "Jasper, Emmett, why don't you let Bella up," he suggested.

"Are you sure that's a good idea, Carlisle?" Emmett asked.

"Jasper?" We all turned our attention towards the empath still sitting on my back, though he was more over my stomach now than my chest.

"I'm keeping her relaxed, though she is still having a few spikes. She is jumping around a lot, between emotions. I'm not sure it's a good idea. You know how volatile newborns are. She could lose control in an instant."

"Then perhaps Emmett keeps a hand on her," Carlisle suggested."We still have a few hours before sunset. I'm sure Bella doesn't want you two on top of her for that long. Right, Bella?"

I looked up at Carlisle from my spot on the floor. _'He looks very imposing,'_ I thought, briefly. I nodded my head.

"You're holding your breath again, right Bella?" Jasper asked.

Again I nodded.

"Then we'll let you up. But Emmett's going to keep a hand on your arm, just in case. Okay?"

Again, a nod. Emmett shifted, taking my upper arm in a firm grip, before Jasper finally got up. I took my time standing, trying to move slowly so that I didn't startle them into tackling me again. It didn't hurt as much as it would've if I was still human, but it hadn't been _fun_, exactly, being thrown to the ground.

"Good, Bella," Carlisle encouraged. "Why don't you sit down on the bed for now? We'll only ask you 'yes' or 'no' questions. Sound alright?"

I nodded 'yes'. Holding my breath was getting annoying. I couldn't smell anything, and although my mind knew that was probably a good thing right now, my body thought it was wrong.

"You're probably a little disoriented right now. That's okay. You'll get used to everything. You've probably already figured out, you're a vampire now, correct?"

I nodded.

"You went to the ballet studio to face James because you thought he had your mother, is that right?"

Yes.

"He attacked you, and just as Edward arrived, he bit your hand. We tried to suck the venom out, but by then it'd spread too far. We were forced to allow the change to happen. We brought you here, to this motel, of sorts, to let you finish the process. It has a reputation, according to Alice, so your screams went unnoticed.

"Right now, Edward and Alice are with your parents. They think you went missing. Edward, Alice, and myself followed your to Phoenix, in an attempt to reason with you to come back home to Forks. You were going to come over to our hotel, but you never made it. We called Charlie and Renee, but neither of them had seen or heard from you either. Right now, Edward and Alice are with Charlie and Renee, searching for you. That's why neither of them is here. I just called Edward again. They know that you are finished; Alice had a vision of it. They are going to tell Charlie that they have to go home because I'm needed in the hospital and Esme doesn't want them to miss school. Do you understand?"

I nodded 'yes'. Carlisle's explanation had left me with a million questions, but I didn't risk taking a breath to speak them aloud.

"When the sun goes down, Edward and Alice will meet us here and we will drive back to Forks. It will be easier for you at our house, where there are no human scents. You'll stay home during the day with Esme as the school year finishes. Then, we'll move again, to minimize the risk of you being recognized. Okay?"

I nodded again.

We spent the hours until sunset talking. Well, actually Carlisle did most of the talking. A few times Jasper or Emmett might chime in with some further detail, and I would nod or shake my head in response. Carlisle talked about a lot of things. He talked about what it was like to be a newborn, how I would have to "relearn" how to be human. All three of them gave me a few pointers on how to act. Little things like fidgets and not standing in one place for too long. Carlisle assured me they wouldn't reintroduce me into human society until they were positive I was fully ready.

They talked about a few more things, like not sleeping and the change in eye color (mine were bright red right now, but they reassured me that as time went on, it would fade). I was worried, as they talked about my eyes, that they wouldn't change. What if they never faded to that rich topaz color like the rest of them? What if I was a freak and my eyes stayed the same? Would I never be allowed to go out in public again? Topaz was one thing, but blood red was not going to be ignored.

As Carlisle spoke, I took the time to really _look_ at all of them. My human eyes had not done any of them justice. With vampire vision, I could now see clearly. I could see the smooth perfection of their skin. I could smell each of their sweet scents and distinguish one from the other with ease. I could hear the different tones in their voices. I could tell that Carlisle was paler than Emmett, even though before I had thought they were the same. And I could also see lines and ridges around Jasper's neck and the hands. Those unnerved me the most because they told me, subconsciously, that he was dangerous.

All the while, Carlisle continued talking. He talked about how they handled humans and moving.

"We try to keep a low profile," he explained. "Obviously none of you can play sports. Gym class is one thing, but competitive sports, the temptation would be too strong. Not to mention, people might wonder why you never sweat and have to miss a good number of games and practices.

"We comingle with the humans just enough to not be suspicious. We tell everyone we are a private family. It is very important, when moving to a new location, that you stick to the story we laid out ahead of time. It is relatively simple and the entire family knows it, so there are no slips. Obviously things will have to change a little bit now, but don't worry, we'll figure something out. We—"

Carlisle was interrupted as there was a knock on the door. "Carlisle, it's us," Alice's voice called. She barely spoke up, but all four of us could hear it with no problem through the door.

Carlisle opened the door and Alice rushed in. I was surprised that I was able to follow her movements relatively easily, though I could tell she was excited and not moving at a slow, human pace.

"Bella!" she squealed, practically jumping on me as she rushed to give me a hug. "I'm so excited you're finished!" She stepped back a moment and looked over me. "You look perfect! Just like I saw!"

I nodded and smiled at her. I felt like I was really seeing Alice for the first time. I could see that her hair wasn't simply dark, but that there were different shades to her spikes. I could hear her musical voice and, for the first time, her soft footsteps.

I smiled down at her as Alice babbled on, talking about a variety of things. I didn't pay attention though, because I'd caught the eye of a taller, handsome figure just behind her.

I'd thought Edward was a Greek god before. But I realize now that, like most of my human memories, I hadn't done him justice. Edward wasn't a Greek god. He was better. As I looked over him, my eyes followed the sculpted lines of his perfect chest, visible beneath his shirt. I followed them up, to his neck, then to the angle of his chin. My eyes paused at his silky lips and were almost caught there. But I forced my attention higher, to his dark, amber eyes.

I could almost _see_ the conflict stirring behind those familiar eyes. For once, he didn't seem to be sure. Edward was hesitating at the entrance to the bedroom, one hand on the post. I didn't want him to wait. I wanted him to smile his crooked smile and kiss me like he did before what happened at the dance studio. Or maybe even more than he had before. I couldn't smell the same to him anymore. And he didn't have to be so careful with me. I wasn't so fragile, obviously, since I'd survived Jasper and _Emmett_ sitting on me.

But Edward didn't make any movement to step forward, though I knew _he_ knew I was watching him. Everyone was watching him. Emmett still kept a tight hold on my arm as the others waited for some sort of interaction. In the silence, I could hear the sounds of the cars passing on the highway. The silence stretched on, and still Edward made no move to approach me. My patience was wearing thin. So, against my better judgment, I opened my mouth and spoke. "Edward."

The thirst, which had dimmed only slightly over the time I held my breath, flared up anew and hotter as ever. But I pushed it away, having no patience or consideration for it. All I wanted right now was Edward.

Jasper sent me a measure of calm just in case. But I didn't need it. I needed Edward. I wanted Edward. But what if now, he didn't want me? After all, I'd ran away. I'd done exactly what he'd asked me not to. I'd gone to face the tracker on my own. I'd put him and his entire family at risk. I felt stupid now. I felt guilty for putting all of them through too much. This was all my fault.

"Edward, I'm so sorry."

The words were hardly out of my mouth before he was at mine. I barely followed his movement as he leapt forward and enveloped me in a fierce kiss. My first reaction was to leap back, but Edward held me firmly to him. And by that time, I was already lost in the passion of the moment. When he finally pulled away, after the most intense kiss I'd ever experienced, it was all too soon.

"Bella," he whispered. "Don't ever scare me like that again."

"I'm sorry," I repeated.

"No. You have nothing to be sorry about. I failed you. I let this happen. I know I don't deserve it, but I beg your forgiveness."

As I stared up into his eyes once more, I realized my mistake. What I thought had been hesitation about forgiving me had been just the opposite. He'd been worried I'd be angry at _him_. He blamed himself for what happened to me, as always.

"Edward, there's nothing to forgive," I replied, fighting against the urge to quench my thirst. There were more important things right now. "It was my stupid mistake. If you hadn't been there to save me, James would've killed me."

I could see Edward didn't agree with me, but he seemed reluctant to argue further.

"We should get going," he said finally, turning towards Carlisle.

Carlisle nodded and turned towards Alice. "Did you get the plane tickets?"

Alice pulled three slips from her purse. "Yep," she replied.

"Plane tickets?" I asked, looking between Alice and Edward.

"For Carlisle, Alice, and I," Edward explained. "Charlie doesn't know we have a car down here. We have to fly back. Jasper and Emmett will drive you back."

My smile fell. I just got Edward back, and now I'd had to leave him? Edward seemed to see my disappointment.

"It won't be long," he promised. "And I promise I'll be there when you get home."

Home. It couldn't be Charlie's house in Forks anymore. It hadn't been the house here in Phoenix for the last two months. And now, it would never be Renee's new house in Jacksonville. Home would have to be somewhere I could be kept safe. Not from people on the outside, but from myself. The Cullens' house. That would be home now.

**A/N2: Thanks for reading. As always, please review. Tell me what you thought. Did I give enough description? Did I portray the emotions correctly? Was there anything you were unsure about? Was there anything you thought I forgot or something that conflicted with the original Twilight story line?**

**Drop me a line!**

**-Wish**


	4. Chapter 4: First Hunt

**A/N: So here's the next chapter. I hope you like it. It's kinda long, but then again, this whole story has longer chapters than I am used to. I'm sure you readers love that! Enjoy!**

**-Wish**

_**Chapter 4: First Hunt**_

We said goodbye quickly. Edward, Alice, and Carlisle took the rental car back to the airport while Emmett, Jasper, and I started driving north in Carlisle's Mercedes. After a little while in the car, it became easier to breathe. The human scent became less potent and eventually, my throat stopped burning with each breath.

"How ya doin' back there, Bella?" Emmett called from the passenger seat. Jasper was driving and I was in the back seat.

"Better," I admitted.

"You're calmer," Jasper commented, glancing back at me in the rearview mirror. "But you still need to hunt. Do you want to stop on the way, or do you want to wait until we get back to Forks. We should be there tomorrow."

At the thought of hunting, the thirst flared up in my throat again. It was a never-ending feeling in my throat, one that, at times, would be just a distant feeling in the back of my mind, but at other times, would occupy all of my thoughts, like it had in the hotel room and like it was starting to do now.

"I don't know," I replied. "I want to wait for Edward, but…"

"I know it's hard," Jasper said. "See if you can wait. It will be easier back home because there will be less of a chance of running into someone who is in the wrong place at the wrong time."

I nodded. I would try to hold off. It was uncomfortable to say the least, borderline unbearable. I never really understood just how difficult it had been for Edward and the others, until now. I curled up on the backseat tried to take deep, calming breaths. But the back seat smelled faintly of human, when my nose was so close to the leather. So instead of breathing, I held my breath, trying not to think about just how long it'd been since I'd last breathed.

Not for the first time since being changed, I wished I could sleep. I wished I could just close my eyes and drift off, not having to care about the thirst or the colors or the sounds or the smells. I wished I could sleep through the entire car ride, as I had on the way down to Phoenix, and wake up only when we got to Forks.

But I couldn't. I even closed my eyes and tried, but it was no use. I didn't feel tired even one moment for the entire night. Eventually, I focused on the road. I watched the lines as they passed the car. I felt like we were going incredibly slowly, though the speedometer on the Mercedes read 120 mph. I wanted to go _faster_. This slow monotony was almost as unbearable as the burning thirst that had yet to leave my throat.

Jasper sensed my impatience and sent me a soothing wave to the back seat. "It's alright, Bella," he assured me. "We're almost there."

I looked at the clock. It was almost six in the morning. I'd passed the whole night without an ounce of sleep. It would be one of an infinite amount of nights.

Jasper slowed quickly as we moved onto the highway that would take us into Forks. The speedometer dropped from 120 mph to a perfect 55 mph, just as we passed the white car partially hidden behind an overpass. The sight of the white car with the red and blue lights made me feel a pang of loss. Though I couldn't remember why. I felt the emotion, but I couldn't summon up the memory of why it would matter. It was frustrating.

"Charlie, Bella," Jasper supplied. "He's the Chief of Police in Forks."

At Jasper's help, I was able to dreg up a memory. Charlie's police cruiser sitting outside our house in Forks. Charlie walking inside, hanging his gun belt and his sheriff's jacket on the peg by the door. I found that I missed him already. Then the realization hit me.

"I won't be able to see him ever again, will I?" I asked Jasper and Emmett quietly.

Neither Emmett nor Jasper seemed to want to answer me. But their silence was more than enough of a reply. The answer was a resounding "no". I hung my head as we drove on. All I could think about was how I hadn't even told him I loved him or anything before I'd left for Phoenix. In fact, I'd been yelling at him, telling him the same words Renee had told him when she'd left him. I regretted it more than anything else.

If Jasper sensed my regret, he didn't do anything to relieve it. For that, I was grateful. I wanted to feel the regret and the pain. I needed to, so that eventually I would be able to move past it.

Not an hour later, we passed the "Welcome to Forks" sign. We were almost home. The Cullen's house was just outside town, off the highway we were currently on. Jasper drove on, speeding through town. I watched as the vaguely familiar buildings passed through my line of sight. I recognized the school when we passed it, as well as the Police station. I looked at the doors, hopeful that maybe Charlie would come out. But nobody entered or exited the station in the few seconds we took to pass it. Jasper drove on as town ended until he finally turned off onto a long driveway. I remembered before that I had had problems seeing the entrance to the driveway. But as we pulled off the highway, I couldn't understand how. It looked like a gaping hole in the trees now, painfully obvious.

When Jasper pulled up to the house, the others were already waiting for us. Carlisle and Edward stood closest to the car, with Rosalie, Esme, and Alice a few steps back, towards the house. They all smiled as we pulled up and Jasper parked the car. Edward didn't even wait for him to turn it off before he was at my door, opening it and pulling me out of the car. In a tenth of a second, I was in his arms, and half a second later, I took a breath. His honey, sunshine smell swam in my nose, overwhelming any lingering scent of human from the car or from the motel.

"I missed you," he whispered in my ear, so low I doubted I would've been able to hear him if I was still human.

"I missed you too," I replied, snuggling closer to his shoulder.

"The drive wasn't too bad, I hope?" Edward asked, eyeing his brothers. They shrugged.

"No it was fine," I replied. "Except…"

"You're thirsty," he finished. I nodded "yes".

"We can fix that," Carlisle offered. "Do you want to go hunting, Bella?"

It was odd to hear the offer from his mouth. In the past, I hadn't been allowed to go with them on a hunt. It was too dangerous, especially for me, the trouble magnet. But I wasn't breakable any more. The thought of seeing the others, particularly Edward, as they hunted was almost as exciting as actually being able to sate the thirst that gnawed at my abused throat.

"Yes," I croaked out, past my excitement.

Edward grinned widely and Alice looked like she was about to jump out of her skin in anticipation.

"C'mon, let's go!" she urged, taking off into the woods. Jasper was just behind her, followed by Emmett who was laughing, and Rosalie.

"Let's go, love," Edward offered, taking my hand. Again my stomach leapt in excitement. Before, I'd always had to climb on his back when he ran. But now, I had no doubt I could match him in speed, if not exceed.

We took off after the others, Esme and Carlisle bringing up the rear behind us. I was immediately surprised at the _ease_. When Edward had carried me, I'd always been worried about hitting a tree. At the speed that he ran, it seemed almost impossible that he could swerve around _every_ tree. And the fact that I probably wouldn't have survived if he'd hit a tree had only added to my anxiety.

But now I knew that a collision had never even been a possibility. Running as fast as I was, I was surprised and awed at just how _clear_ everything was. I could see every detail of the forest around me like I was taking a leisurely stroll, not sprinting through the trees at speeds faster than most cars could go. I moved, graceful and agile, around every tree, root, bush, and branch that tried to trip me up. It was easy. Child's play.

I couldn't help the laugh that escaped my lips, and the subsequent surprise at its quality. My laugh sounded like the peal of bells now. It was almost _musical._ Edward looked over at me questioningly.

"I see why you thought my fear of running was silly," I replied. "It was."

Edward smiled. "Not silly. Unnecessary." He put on a burst of speed and I doubled my strides to catch up. Rosalie and Emmett's backs were visible just ahead, and in front of them were Alice and Jasper, running hand-in-hand like Edward and I. I could hear the soft footfalls of Carlisle and Esme just behind us. I couldn't help but revel in the thought of all of them with me. They weren't protecting me. I was with _them_. Apart of their group. Their family.

"This is good, Alice," Edward said, like he was talking to me rather than the short figure ahead of us. Alice slowed and we all came to a stop in an unfamiliar section of the Olympic Range. I'd never been this far from the town before.

"Do we have to?" I asked. I really wanted to keep running. It was exhilarating.

"If you want to cross the border, then yes, we can keep going," Edward replied.

We were at the _border_? Already?

"Er, no, this is good, I guess," I said. Edward laughed, for once care-free and open.

"Are you ready?" Carlisle asked.

The thirst burned in my throat as if in response to Carlisle's question.

"Yes," I croaked, suddenly more parched than I had ever been. The anticipation of quenching that thirst was almost too much. I wanted to hunt. Now.

"Alright. Esme, Rosalie, Alice, and I won't hunt, just in case something happens and we need to _restrain_ you again."

I nodded my understanding. I guess it made sense. Edward had said that, when they hunted they gave over to their most predatory instincts. I guess it was extremely difficult to break that off, should someone be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"Edward, do you want to walk her through it the first time?" Carlisle asked.

Edward nodded and turned so that we were face to face. He took both my hands, gripping them firmly, but no uncomfortably.

"Bella. You need to close your eyes." I obeyed, dismayed at the loss of the wonderful colors that were assaulting my eyes, but wanting to please him.

"Good. Now take a deep breath."

My eyes flashed open. "But—"

"It's okay, love," he assured me. "There aren't any other people around here. You won't hurt anyone. Just trust me."

I sighed and couldn't help but smile. I _did_ trust him. I trusted him with everything. I closed my eyes again and took a deep breath. Hundreds of scents flooded my nose as I really breathed deeply for the first time since Jasper had tackled me in the motel room. It was amazing. I could smell each of the trees, the clear, clean smell of the small, tricking creek about a hundred yards south of us, the nutty fragrance of the little animals cowering in their holes from our presence, and a larger, more tangy odor. It was accompanied by loud thuds of no less than four large hearts, pumping thick blood. It was more the sound than the smell that made my thirst flare up. The smell was unappealing. Tangy like metal, and slightly overwhelming. I didn't really want to eat something that smelled that odiferous. But my throat burned again and I instinctively crouched, turning towards the north were the hearts were remaining relatively still.

The others stepped back, giving me ample space, for which I was grateful. I was feeling territorial about the prey just ahead. I wasn't sure _what_ I would do if one of them had tried to get in the way.

I stayed low to the ground as I stalked forward, my mind working automatically now. A part of me _was_ still there; wary of the bloodshed, but it was a very soft, quiet part right now. Mostly, I didn't think. I reacted. I moved gracefully through the trees, adjusting my position if my prey ahead of me moved, even ever so slightly. I had it pinpointed in my mind. There was no way it was going to escape me. I was entirely the hunter now.

Closer and closer, I crept, until I was within twenty yards of the four elk, heads bowed and munching on the grass, still oblivious to my presence. The wind was with me, carrying my scent back to where the Cullens waited in anticipation. I could almost feel Edward, tensed a few yards away from me. Everything seemed so clear and focused. I doubted I would even need my sight to make this kill.

I picked out the weakest, an older female just at the edge of the group. Just looking at her, it was almost impossible to tell that she was weak. But I could smell it on the air. She had a slightly different odor to her than the other three. She would be my target. I was within easy leaping distance now, and still she was ignorant.

I sprang in one, fluid, powerful motion. The other three bolted, but I already had the fourth, my intended target, in my hands. She struggled, whipping me around like a rag doll, but I held on easily. In one, swift motion, I snapped spine and she collapsed, limp on the ground. I plunged my teeth into her neck where the blood still ran warm.

The blood was like nothing I'd ever tasted before. It tasted wrong. Too tangy for my tastes. It actually reminded me of how blood had smelled to me as a human. But the warmth as it ran down my throat soothed the burning. So I ignored the taste, and concentrated on the relief of the liquid on my parched throat.

But all too soon, the body ran dry. I tossed it aside and stood again, wiping my face on my sleeve. Looking down at my shirt, I found that I had gotten almost as much blood on me as had ran down my throat.

"Ugh. I'm a mess," I muttered. I heard Emmett laugh from where the Cullens still stood, about thirty yards away from me. Edward was at my side in a flash.

"That was amazing," he whispered, hugging me to his chest. He didn't seem to mind the blood or dirt that caked my clothing. "For your first time, you were quite graceful."

My eyes fell back to the carcass I had discarded. It had been a living, breathing thing only minutes ago. But there it lay, broken and lifeless on the grass. I couldn't help but feel sorry for it.

I_ did that,_ I thought. _I killed it._

"What are we going to do with it?" I managed to ask him, my eyes never leaving the body.

"We can bury it," Edward replied, seemingly sensing something was wrong. He took my chin and lifted it again so that I was looking into his eyes once more. "It's fine, Bella," he assured me. "It's what is necessary. Better an elk than a human being, right?"

I nodded. It was true. Better I had killed an animal, than someone who had a family, a spouse, kids, parents, siblings. I'd eaten meat before. This was no different.

Edward and I worked quickly to bury the body, the others helping too. Soon the remains of my first kill were beneath the ground, out of sight and out of mind.

"I want to see you hunt," I told Edward. Unlike Carlisle, Esme, Rosalie, and Alice, his eyes were still dark like Jasper and Emmett's. Obviously he'd held off on hunting until we'd gotten back.

Edward grinned. "As you wish," he replied. He took a deep breath, as if savoring the air. But I knew he was zeroing in on a target, just as I had. I took a shorter breath too, not wanting to lose control, but also wanting to know what he smelled. Up in a tree, northeast of here, there was a sharper, more appealing scent. I could hear soft padding against the boughs of the tree. I wondered what could be up there. A bear? Was that what Edward was going for?

He climbed the tree, almost silent to even my ears. I watched him carefully, following his sure progress up, all the while searching for his target. There it was a few branches above him. It wasn't a bear. It was a lion. A mountain lion, large and quiet. My non-beating heart seemed to leap as I watched him crouch to pounce. There was a smooth, sureness about his movements. I watched fascinated as he sprung, his muscles tensing. It was like the sinuous strike of a snake, quick and deadly. His hands were strong as he gripped the lion by the neck. They fell to the ground, Edward and the lion tangled together in a fury of claws against teeth. The lion tried to shred Edward to ribbons, but he dodged the claws and with a resounding snap, the lion went limp. His full lips parted gracefully over his gleaming teeth as he bit into the lion's neck. I couldn't help but feel awed by his display of sheer power and grace. As he stepped back from the now drained body, there was not a spot on his shirt or a hair out of place. It was like he hadn't even touched the animal; much less wrestled it to the ground.

"Wow," I breathed, as he walked back to me, a crooked smirk on his perfect features.

"Did you enjoy it?" he asked.

"You are much better at it than I am," I admitted.

"Centuries of practice," he replied, his now golden eyes gleaming.

"Just one," I corrected.

"Alright now, we're all thirsty, so if you don't mind…" Emmett bound forward, heading off through the trees. I scented the air and could make out a sizeable group of animals in his direction.

"Mule deer," Edward commented. "Not as tasty as the carnivores, but there's a lot of them." He held out his hand to me and I took it. Together, we bounded off, after Emmett. The others were right behind us, Jasper speeding up to catch up to Emmett.

"Before he scares them all away," he muttered as he passed us. Edward and I laughed, as did Alice, Esme, and Carlisle. It felt right to be among the group. With Edward at my side and the others around me, I knew this would be the beginning of perfect.

**A/N2: I hoped you liked it. Please Review! Tell me what your thoughts were. Tell me your theories on where you think this will go. I have some ideas of my own, but if I really like yours, I might consider using it (with your permission of course). So drop me a line!**

**-Wish**


	5. Chapter 5: A Soul

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**A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in a while. Surprisingly, it's not because I haven't had time to write because of school work. It's because I'm actually working on something different. An **_**original**_** story! It's coming along really well and those I've showed it to so far think it's really good!**

**Unfortunately, since it is an original work, I won't be publishing it on or sending it out in emails to people. Don't want any leaks of a story that can possibly be published!**

**So here's the next chapter of Red Dawn. I hope you all like it. Please review and tell me what you think! And if you are reading Rising Sun or Memories, I am working on getting out chapters for them too. But Rising Sun I am having a bit of writer's fog (kind of uncertain, haziness) and Memories is a full on case of Writer's FORCEFIELD (I can see what I want, but I just can't get there!). But rest assured, I am trying to remedy both situations.**

**Thanks for reading and don't forget to review!**

**-Wish**

_**Chapter 5: A Soul**_

We made our way back to the Cullens' house, laughing and joking along the way. I felt a part of the family now. Emmett teased me mercilessly, comparing my hunting to a drunken bear. Alice was already prattling on about what she would buy me as she lent me some of Rosalie's clothes to wear instead of the blood-stained ones. Apparently I needed a whole new wardrobe, since I obviously couldn't go home. She didn't say that directly, but it was implied. And I knew I couldn't. I'd heard the others talking about Charlie, how they were pretending I had disappeared, never made it to the hotel to talk to them. Charlie had insisted on searching for me himself, but of course he hadn't found anything. I didn't know if he was still down in Phoenix or if he'd returned to Forks, but I wasn't sure if they would tell me even if I asked. It didn't matter now.

But a big question still lingered on my mind. What were _we _going to do? I knew technically the Charlie problem was almost solved. He wouldn't find anything, I would be deemed a missing person, and eventually the Cullens would move away, not to come back to the area until they were sure everyone who'd known them was dead or senile. Theoretically, everything was solved, as long as I stayed out of the public eye. But I couldn't help wishing for some closure for Charlie. My mom had pretty much had it, when I moved to Forks. Yeah, we'd still talked a little bit while I was here, but not like we had when I was living with her in Phoenix. There was closure there, even if it didn't seem as permanent as this. But Charlie hadn't had any of that, and I didn't like the idea of just letting him linger on for the rest of his life, checking missing people's lists, still looking for that daughter that disappeared 5, 10, 20 years before.

"What are you thinking?" Edward murmured in my ear as we sat in the living room, watching some sort of movie on TV with Emmett, Rosalie, Alice, and Jasper.

"So you still can't read my mind?" I asked him, changing the subject.

Edward chuckled. "No. But you're dodging the question."

I sighed, feeling guilty for some reason. "I was thinking about Charlie."

I waited for Edward to frown and tell me to forget about him. But he didn't. His smile never left his face. "What about Charlie?"

"Just uh, how I'll miss him," I replied. It was only a partial lie, so I tried to convince myself it wasn't really one.

Edward chuckled again. "You're still a horrible liar," he teased gently. But his face grew a bit more serious. "If you don't want to tell me, that's okay," he offered. But seemed hurt by the possibility.

"It's not that," I said quickly. "It's just, I really do miss him and…I don't know about the whole missing person thing."

"What about it?"

"I just…I can't help but feel like we should do something so that he can have some closure or something. I just don't want him always looking or something. What if it gets around to wherever we go next?"

"It won't," Edward reassured me. "I know you don't like it, but this really is the nicest way for him. A funeral isn't something anyone wants, particularly the funeral of their only daughter. Charlie will be fine. Trust me."

"I do," I replied immediately. Edward smiled down at me and leaned in, giving me a soft kiss on the forehead. I groaned softly and it was my turn to ask what he was thinking.

"Just how unbelievably happy I am that you're here, with me," he whispered softly, placing another kiss on my forehead. It was odd to me. I'd always remembered Edward to be cold and hard. It'd just been two things I'd associated with his touch. But now, everything was different. We were the same temperature now. His touch wasn't cold to me, it was actually natural, like when I'd come into contact with another human. And although he was still hard, so was I. I didn't curve around him, but held my own against him. It was an odd sensation, though not necessarily bad. I liked the feeling. I was finally his equal. I nestled into his chest and closed my eyes, just enjoying being close to him. After everything that had happened in the past, was it almost a week?, I was content to just be able to sit there with him.

"Bella?" Edward said softly. I opened my eyes and looked up, questioningly.

"I have to go to school now," he confessed. I looked around and was surprised to see that the others were gone already. I could hear them outside by the car, waiting for Edward.

"Oh," I said.

"I can skip today if you want me to," he offered.

"No, it's okay," I replied quickly. I didn't want him to get in trouble or something for skipping school, though I knew he most likely wouldn't. How many times had Edward skipped before I came along? Every sunny day, and even a few days that were overcast, for various reasons. But I also didn't want him to change everything just because I was here now. So I told him it was fine, that I would hang out with Esme. Obviously school for me was out of the question. I was supposed to be missing in Phoenix and even if that part wasn't true, I was still a newborn. I remembered all too well, how I'd lost control almost immediately in the motel room. As soon as I'd taken my first breath. Even now, my thirst burned in my throat, just at the memory of the event. Human contact in general, would be out of the question.

"Are you sure?" he asked, his golden gaze on me, searching my face for any hint of doubt. But I didn't have to be so obvious anymore. I wouldn't blush, that was sure.

I nodded my "yes". "I'll be fine, Edward, really," I reassured him. "Esme and I will…bake a cake or something," I said lamely.

Edward laughed at my comment. Then I realized the chink in my plan. I didn't eat food anymore. Why would Esme and I bake a cake? _Stupid, Bella,_ I yelled at myself.

"Alright, love," Edward conceded. "I'll be back this afternoon." He leaned in and gave me a kiss on the lips this time. I liked this new kissing. Before Edward had always been restrained and he'd been the one to pull away too soon. But now, every kiss was so much more passionate. He didn't have to hold anything back, and he didn't. And I was able to kiss him back with equal enthusiasm.

Edward winced slightly. "What's wrong?" I asked quickly, pulling back.

"Nothing," Edward chuckled. "You're just stronger than me for now."

I was _stronger_ than him? Oh right, I'm supposed to have newborn strength. That had been one of the things Carlisle had told me about in the motel room, while Emmett was keeping me "hostage". I'd been surprised at just how much information I _didn't_ know about vampires, that Carlisle had told me. He'd told me that vampires typically didn't live in groups as large as the Cullen family, that they were an anomaly.

"Typically our kind can't live in groups larger than four. Most of the time, covens are formed out of convenience. Because we abstain from human blood, we are able to for bonds not out of convenience, but out of love. But it also makes it harder for us to keep the law."

_Vampire's have laws?_ I'd thought. I looked at him, questioningly, hoping he got the message.

"One law, Bella," Carlisle had replied. "You know it already. Make sure the humans don't find out."

_Oh, well that's obvious._ At least to me it always had been. But I guess maybe to some others it wasn't. Maybe some crazy person. _A newborn_. The thought just drifted through my head of its own accord._ A bloodthirsty newborn that only cares about satisfying their thirst. Like me._ The thought made me feel guilty, like I'd been a hypocrite before. Because if the Cullens hadn't been there in the ballet studio, or if Jasper hadn't been there in the motel, I would've been just that. A bloodthirsty newborn, bent on satisfying my thirst.

"Hello, Bella." I turned in my seat on the couch, alone, to see Esme standing just behind me.

"Hi, Esme," I replied.

"Do you mind if I join you?"

"Not at all." I gestured for her to come take a seat with me on the couch. She did with a warm smile.

"How are you?" she asked.

Both of us knew the question was more than just, "How are you doing right now". There was a deeper meaning to it. "How are you handling everything so far?"

"I'm okay," I replied.

"I know it can be very confusing at first. It's a big change. And it seems like, when it first happens, it's hard to focus."

"Yeah," I agreed. "I just feel like I'm bouncing around, going every which way. I'll be watching TV, and then half a second later, I'll be staring at the dust motes as the sun reflects off them. Then somehow, it'll trigger some sort of _human_ memory, completely unrelated, like maybe when my mom and I took a yoga class."

Esme nodded, sympathetic. "Don't worry; it won't always be like that. Although we do tend to have short attention spans, I find that there is always room in my mind to think of everything I want to. A vampire's mind works differently than a human's. I don't know if Edward's told you this, but when we want to block our thoughts from him, we might start translating the Bible from Hebrew to Russian or naming all the prime numbers. To a human, that would be hard to do, fully focused. But for us, we are able to do it and still have an intelligent conversation. It's different for us."

I nodded. I'd already noticed how there seemed to be so much more space in my head, and how I seemed to be able to remember everything, like I was playing back a tape of it. I could remember every detail of the change; the pain, every breath, every sigh. _No wonder they're all so smart. They remember everything, and they've all been through school multiple times._

Speaking of school. "Esme? What's going to happen now?" I asked. The question might have seemed vague, but again there was a sort of unspoken understanding that there was more to it.

"Well, we can't move just yet. We need to make sure any suspicion is not aimed towards the family. We were, after all, supposed to be the last people who had contact with you before you 'disappeared'. We have to stay and play our part. But after we're sure, we'll pack up and move on. Carlisle is already claiming 35, and that's starting to push it. It's difficult, nowadays, because people expect doctors of his experience to be older. And we don't want them thinking he's a medical prodigy, having his credentials at an incredibly young age. That would draw too much attention to the family."

"So, you had already been planning on leaving soon, before any of this ever happened?" I asked. I couldn't help but feel a pang of loss, at the concept of Edward and the other Cullens moving on without me. _But that's not going to happen now, Bella,_ I reminded myself. You're one of them now.

"No," Esme admitted. "When Edward found you, we honestly weren't sure _what_ to do. We knew eventually we'd have to move on, but I don't think any of us, not just Edward, could've imagined leaving you behind. It was actually a huge dilemma. One we don't have to worry about anymore."

She smiled at me again. But I wondered now, if everyone really was as happy as they let on. Did they really _want_ me to be a part of their family, or was I just an accident they were stuck with out of sense of duty, whether they liked it or not? I remembered the ballet studio vaguely. Everything had been so dark and confusing, and not just because I was seeing it through human eyes. But I did remember, surprisingly clearly, Edward's reaction when I found out the venom was too far into my blood; that I was going to change.

"Esme," I said my voice barely audible even to me.

"Yes, Bella?" she asked.

I paused, unsure of how to phrase the question on my mind. "My becoming a vampire…it wasn't really what Edward wanted, was it?"

Esme didn't answer right away. She seemed to be really thinking, and choosing her words carefully. "Edward, I think, had mixed feelings about your humanity," she said. "Believe it or not, Alice had a vision of this; of you becoming one of us. And Edward fought it."

My expression fell. Edward hadn't wanted me to be like this. He hadn't wanted me to be like him.

Esme seemed realize what conclusion I'd come to. "You have to understand, Bella, he has a very firm belief that we can't have souls, because of what we are. And I think that belief is why he was so against your changing. Edward loves you, like he's never loved anyone before. And I think that love, and his belief in our damnation, is what set him against Alice's vision. It had nothing to do with not wanting you to be with him. I think if Edward could've figured out a way for you to have immortality and still remain 'intact' in his way of thinking, he would've done it in a heartbeat."

I was thoroughly confused now. The reason Edward hadn't wanted me to become a vampire, to finally be his equal, was because he was afraid for my soul? But I couldn't understand how he could believe that he and the others didn't have a soul, when it was so blatantly obvious that they did. Otherwise, they wouldn't work so hard to respect human life and go against their thirst.

"He's wrong," I said. "He does have a soul. You all do."

Esme nodded and smiled. "I think so to."

**A/N2: HEY! REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! You know you want to. Come on, push the button!**

**Oh and there's a new poll on my site, asking you to vote for your favorites of my stories. You can vote for up to two. Give me your opinions!**

**Thanks!**

**-Wish**


	6. Chapter 6: Bloodlust

3

**A/N: So it's been a long time. For some reason I just haven't gotten around to opening this file and finishing the chapter. But it's done now, so here it is.**

**I can guarantee you things WILL NOT be all nice and dandy for too long. Like in Breaking Dawn, it'll be nice for a while, but then real life has to catch up, and Bella is the trouble magnet.**

**So enjoy it while it lasts!**

**-Wish**

_**Chapter 6: Bloodlust**_

The day moved slowly for me. Much too slow. The hours seemed to drag on as I searched for something to do. Esme told me that Alice had gotten new copies of all my favorite books, since I'd had to leave my own at Charlie's house, and that they were waiting for me in Edward's room.

_Edward's room_. I hadn't been in Edward's room more than the first time I'd been invited to the Cullens' house. And even that time had been just a brief glimpse into his life. Now, with the house empty except for just Esme and I, I found myself curious of the room at the end of the hall.

I remembered that Edward's room faced south, towards the river, and that meant his whole back wall was glass. I also remembered his shelves upon shelves of music, everything from records to CDs. Music was a big part of Edward's life, and it showed in his room.

I came to the door and paused. It was mostly closed, the edge just a slight crack. My conscience told me that it was closed, that I shouldn't go in there. It was his room. It was private. But my curiosity was getting the better of me. I wanted to be able to look around in Edward's room, _really_ look. I knew I wouldn't really be able to do that if he were there. I would've been distracted. And anyways, Alice had put my books in there. I had a valid reason for going inside. So I gently pushed the door open the rest of the way and stepped through.

To be honest, I wasn't sure what I had been expecting. I wasn't sure if I had expected it to be different or changed at all. It had only been a week or so since I'd last been in his room. And like everything else in the house, it was unchanged. Edward's room was almost exactly how I'd seen it last. His CD and record collection, organized by year and then his personal preference, the wide windows, looking out to the back of the house and the Sol Duc River behind it, his leather couch, and then the expensive stereo system all sat exactly as I had seen them. The only difference I could tell was that there was a jacket slung over the back of the couch that I recognized as his (he probably just hadn't put it away) and a small stack of new, hard-bound books.

The room hadn't changed, but I had. I looked around at everything with my new, vampire eyes, taking in not just the sights, but the feel and the smell of the room. It was unmistakably Edward's. Everything was saturated with his scent. For a while, all I did was stand there and breathe it in. Even as a newborn, driven by my thirst, I could smell his scent and feel light-headed. That part of me had been, thankfully, unchanged.

I walked across the room, surprising myself with the speed of the action. I wanted to do something and my body responded, with almost no lag time. One moment I was by the door, the next I was standing in the middle of the room, looking out the glass wall. The forest seemed almost comforting. I realized just how _used_ to it I was. When I'd first come, everything had seemed too green, and now it seemed odd that I _wouldn't_ be surrounded by the deep green of the Olympic rainforest. It turned to the books on the sofa. They were all hard-bound, probably so that they were a bit sturdier. I was still getting used to my newborn strength. Everything seemed so fragile around me. I looked at a wall and I didn't see the impenetrable barrier that I had seen before. I saw a flimsy construct, like a wall of cardboard, or even the shoji screens they used in Japan. I looked at the wall and the glass and I knew that with little effort on my part, I could put a hand, or even a _finger_ through them. And I would walk away from it too, with no injury. It was a powerful feeling, but just as disconcerting as the rapid fluctuations of emotion and thought. I would have to get used to it.

I picked up the first book, looking at its cover. _Sense and Sensibility_ by Jane Austen. I set it down and looked to the next. _Wuthering Heights, _Emily Brontë. I went through the stack further. _Mansfield Park. Pride and Prejudice. Dracula—_hold on! I picked the book up and turned it over. Dracula? In a house of _real_ vampires? It had to be Alice's idea of a joke. The only thing Bram Stoker got right was that vampires drink blood. And even then, _he_ gave them fangs. _Like we would _need_ fangs._

We. I'd thought 'we'. When did it become 'we'? It made sense. After all, I _was_ a vampire like the rest of the Cullens now. Like Edward. But I didn't think I had ever thought of it as a 'we' thing. It was more like, 'they' or 'them'. _They_ always had to be careful. _They_ had always been forced to control _their_ thirst, which I was beginning to realize just how much of a Herculean feat this really was. Even now, while I was standing in Edward's room, staring at the _Dracula_ book, having just fed earlier that _day_, I felt the thirst. It was a constant ache and burn in my throat. And as I thought of it more, it became more prominent. I wanted to cough, my throat was so dry, but I didn't seem to have that reflex anymore.

I sat down hard on the couch, the book falling from my hands and landing with a rather loud thump on the floor. My hand clasped over my throat as if it would somehow alleviate the burning. I tried to push the thirst I felt away, as I had in the motel, but I kept remembering the soft thumping of the heart, the soothing taste as the blood ran down my throat. I needed _more_! Already, I needed to hunt _again_!

"Bella?" Esme knocked on the door to Edward's room and opened it, concern on her face. When she saw me crouched on the edge of the sofa, one hand at my throat, she gasped. "Bella, what's wrong?" she asked urgently. She looked down at the book on the floor at my feet and frowned, puzzled.

"Esme," I rasped. "It burns! It won't go away!"

Esme seemed to understand instantly. "It's okay, Bella. We can go for a quick hunting trip again. It's not a problem."

But I shook my head. "I just went hunting. I shouldn't need to feed this soon."

"You're a newborn, Bella," Esme replied soothingly. "It will take time. I don't mind taking you again."

I looked up into Esme's warm, honey-gold eyes. The sincerity in her expression made me feel guilty. I knew I shouldn't have to go hunting so soon after the last trip. Even a newborn should be able to keep it under control for a _day_. Edward and the others didn't have to go hunting for a week, sometimes even _two._ I needed to get that level of control. I needed to build that up so that I could rejoin the rest of the Cullens when they moved. I didn't want to be at home still. I wanted to be with Edward. I _needed_ to control my thirst.

So I shook my head again. "No," I told Esme firmly. "I need to learn to control this."

"Bella—"Esme began to protest, but stopped as I took a deep breath and shut my eyes against the distractions of the world. The thirst was still burning in my throat, but rather than letting it overtake my mind, I fought it. I breathed in, taking in Edward's scent, thinking about Edward. _He'd_ done this with me. He'd done more, since my blood was exceptionally potent to him. His own personal brand of heroin, as he put it. If Edward could control his thirst, then I could. I focused on him, remembering what I could of our time together. They were human memories, mostly, so I was having problems. I would see glimpses. Our first day of Biology, when he'd come to the edge of his self-control, but still conquered it. The night I'd been lost in Port Angeles and Edward had found me and saved me from being attacked. Our first time in the meadow, when he'd shown me himself in the sunlight. The first time he'd taken me to meet his family. The subsequent baseball game, before things had went wrong. I saw bits and pieces of each, all in shadowed, blurred human vision. It was annoying, like wearing a pair of really dark sunglasses with fingerprint smudges all over the lenses. But they were my first memories of him. Some of the best times of my life.

_I will only make more,_ I told myself. _But I have to control this. I _will_ control this._ As my resolve grew, my thirst no longer became so unbearable. It was there, for sure. I could always feel it and my mind was always keeping track of it. But I found something more important than it. Edward. My posture relaxed as my mind swam with memories of my love.

"Bella?"

I didn't know how long I'd been sitting there, but Esme had stayed with me. She must've noticed the shift. I opened my eyes and looked over to her. She looked questioning and tentative.

"I'll be alright, Esme," I told her confidently. "I can do this."

Esme smiled warmly and pulled me into a hug. I found myself enjoying the affection. Esme seemed like the mother-figure I never had. My own mother, what I remembered of her now, had been quirky and one of a kind, but our roles had been switched. She'd been the teenager and I'd been the parent. But now I felt like the teenager that I was, for once in my life. And I liked it.

"I know you can, Bella," Esme whispered to me. "We all have faith in you. You're strong. I knew it even before I met you. You had to be, to change Edward so completely."

I looked at her, questioning. "Change Edward? What do you mean?" I asked.

Esme smiled slightly. "You may not remember this, but before the game, I told you that Edward has always been the odd man out?"

I _didn't_ remember, but I nodded all the same, wishing for her to continue.

"Edward has always been the most withdrawn of all my children. The most brooding, the loner. I had been worried for him, that he might never find love. I realize now it was a silly thought, but I did entertain it. He always seemed so sad.

"And then he met you, and I watched the change in him. We vampires are creatures of habit. But when something, or someone, comes along that force us to change, it is almost instantaneous, and it is irrevocable. _You_ did that, to Edward. You brought out the happiness I knew was in him, buried deep as it was. You brought joy, love. And for that, I will be forever thankful. You brought my son to life."

I was about to say more when I heard an engine in the distance, slow and turn off the highway.

"They're home," Esme commented as she gave me one last small hug and stood. I followed her as we left Edward's room, heading back downstairs. I found myself going faster than human pace at the thought of seeing Edward again. He seemed to have the same idea as the door burst open and Edward shot in, scooping me up in arms and hugging me tightly to his chest.

"I missed you," I breathed into his shirt.

"I missed you too," Edward replied. He pulled away just enough to look down at me, his mouth slipping into that crooked smirk I loved so much. "Biology just wasn't the same without you."

I laughed, playing along. "Of course not. How will you pass Mr. Banner's pop quizzes without me?"

Edward shrugged. "I guess I'll just have to rely on Alice," he replied. He leaned his head down and placed a kiss on my forehead, then my lips. When he pulled back again he released me, though he still held my hand gently. "You didn't give Esme _too_ much trouble, did you?"

"No more than you would," Esme replied from the stairs where she'd watched our interaction. A contented smile graced her expression.

"In that case I apologize," Edward told her.

Emmett laughed from behind us as the rest of the Cullen children came inside. "What's gotten into _you_ little bro?" Emmett asked.

Edward just smiled down at me, as if that were answer enough.

Alice slipped around Emmett to give me a hug. "I knew you'd be alright," she whispered into my ear, too low for even _Edward_ to hear.

"Well I'd never bet against _you_ Alice," I replied, equally as softly.

Alice smiled and turned away from me. "I have good news. There will be another storm this weekend," she announced.

"Alright!" Emmett shouted, pumping his fist in the air. "Now Bella can play! This will be awesome!"

I looked up to Edward and saw him grinning as well. "Are you ready?" he asked.

I hesitated. My instinct was to stray away from sports. My clumsiness wasn't exactly a good trait for an athlete. But like everything else in my life, things had changed. Maybe I could get through at least a game without tripping. "Okay," I agreed. "This weekend?"

"This weekend," Alice confirmed.

**A/N2: Please review this chapter. Also I've been looking at different stories to do fanfiction, namely Lord of the Rings (most likely a combination of movie-verse and the actual series). Vote on my profile as to whether you might be interested in something like that.**

**-Wish**

**P.S. REVIEW PLEASE!**


	7. Chapter 7: Ball Game

4

**A/N: Okay, so I was going through my Fanfiction folder and read through Chapter 6 and was inspired to write this ball game. So here it is, Bella's first baseball game as a vampire. Hope you like it!**

**-Wish**

**P.S. And as always, please REVIEW!**

_**Chapter 7: Ball Game**_

The last time I had come to a Cullen baseball game, things hadn't turned out exactly as anyone had planned. Of course, the last time I'd ridden to the field on Edward's back, had been afraid of hitting trees on the way, and hadn't even _considered_ the possibility of one day being able to play with them, rather than just watch them.

But there I stood, decked out in my Cullen baseball hat and jersey courtesy of Alice, while she and Emmett bickered over whose team I'd be playing on and Carlisle marked out the diamond.

"I get Bella, I called it," Emmett argued.

"She's _my_ best friend so she's playing for me!" Alice retorted.

"No way!"

"I've _seen_ it, Emmett," Alice insisted.

"I don't care. You're visions are subjective."

"And I've made up my mind that she'll be on my team!"

"But I've decided she'll be on mine!"

"Alice, Emmett, enough," Esme intervened.

"Esme, you heard it. I called Bella," Emmett appealed.

"I have one solution to this. Alice, Emmett, you're on the same team." Esme 1, Alice and Emmett 0.

Alice and Emmett groaned but they didn't complain. Instead they consulted briefly in hushed tones so that none of us could hear them. When Carlisle returned, Emmett and Alice made their announcement.

"We get Bella and Carlisle," Alice declared.

"And Eddie, you get Rosie, Esme, and Jasper," Emmett finished.

I half expected Edward to protest being put on the other team. But instead, he simply smirked at me.

_So hot,_ I thought, a small chill going down my spine. I loved that, even after everything that has changed, Edward could still do that to me. How I felt about him hadn't.

"Rosalie," Carlisle called, tossing her the bat.

Rosalie caught it without a problem and they went hand over hand, up the bat until Rosalie capped it off. "You bat first," she declared and took off towards the field.

"Excellent," Emmett replied. "Alright, huddle up team."

Edward and Jasper took to the outfield while Esme remained near home to be the catcher. Alice hopped daintily into Emmett's huddle and Carlisle and I exchanged an amused glance before joining them.

"Okay, they're a good team, but we're better. So let's show 'em what we've got. Don't hold anything back. Leave it all out on the field and let's beat these suckers!"

"Emmett, it's not the World Series," Alice said, sarcastically.

But Emmett ignored her, putting his fist in the middle of our tight circle. "Team Awesome on three. ONE, TWO, THREE!"

"Team Awesome," we cheered, maybe not with as much gusto as Emmett was hoping for, but he shrugged and picked up the bat.

"I'll got first," Alice said, taking the bat from his hand and skipping up to the plate. Jasper was pitching and he smiled a little as his wife stepped up to bat. Alice was still the instant before Jasper wound up to throw.

When I was still human, I remember the ball going much too fast for my eye to follow. That's why I hadn't been sure if a pitch was a strike. But the Cullens played that every pitch that wasn't hit, was a strike. Now I knew why.

The pitch was perfect, a curveball just inside, but still within what Major League Baseball would consider a strike. I watched the ball come in, following its path right to Alice's bat. The whole sequence was still fast, even for vampire reflexes, but it no longer seemed impossible, as it had before. Alice connected with the ball and it flew out to the side. Foul ball.

Jasper wound up again and again, Alice was still before she swung and connected again. This time, it was solid. The ball didn't fly up, but rather was low, making it just past Rosalie at shortstop, but not far enough to Edward in the outfield. Alice took off towards first as Rosalie ran for the ball. Jasper headed for first, hoping to maybe catch the ball from Rosalie for the out. But Alice was too fast and she was safe a few tenths of a second before Jasper caught the ball.

"Safe," Esme called from her position behind home.

Jasper gave Alice a little peck on the cheek as she smirked at him and returned to the pitcher's "mound".

"Carlisle?" Emmett asked. Carlisle picked up the bat from where Alice had tossed it on her way to first and walked up to the plate, almost nonchalantly. He connected on the first time, this hit flying over Jasper and Alice's head, towards right field and a hole. A short run later and Carlisle was on first with Alice safely on second.

"Alright, Bella, you're up," Emmett said.

"Me?"

"Unless you want to pinch hit," he replied, grinning.

"NO!" I blurted out. "No, that's okay. I'll go."

"Good," Emmett replied, slinging his arm over my shoulder and handing me the bat as I walked towards the plate. "Now you've got the newborn strength on your side so I think you can beat Eddie boy, out there. So just slam it as hard as you can and run like hell. Got it?"

"Got it," I nodded. I stepped up to the plate as Emmett stepped back.

"Go Bella!" Alice cheered from second.

"Good luck, Bella," Esme wished me from a few yards back where she waited to catch. Rosalie crouched just beyond the infield, a sneer on her face. I knew she wanted nothing more than to get me out right now. Edward also crouched, though he looked serious. He was farther back than he had been with the others, but with me being a newborn, it made sense.

"Just like we talked about, Bella," Emmett said, clapping his hands like he was a high school baseball coach.

I awkwardly held the bat back, over my shoulder and bent my knees slightly. Baseball wasn't exactly my sport before. _Nothing_ had been my sport before. Jasper grinned and leaned over, seemingly eyeing me up. I was starting to get nervous as the seconds passed and he didn't move. Then, suddenly, he wound up and sent a fastball flying right down the middle. I jumped and swung, but I was too early as the ball whistled past me a hundredth of a second later.

"Calm down, Bella," Emmett coached. "Nice and easy. Keep your eye on the ball."

I looked back to the outfield where Edward stood. He was grinning as well and his stance was relaxed. He mocked a yawn at me, smiling mischievously.

_Oh I'm gonna give _you_ something, Cullen,_ I thought, determined to hit this next pitch. I took a practice swing before winding up again. Jasper leaned forward again, just as he had the last time. But rather then letting myself succumb to the nervousness, which I suspected was _Jasper_ in the first place; I took a deep breath and waited for the pitch. He wound up and threw, another fastball, this one a little lower than the last. But I was ready for it. I swung with all my strength and connected with a loud CRACK, just as the lightning struck and thunder boomed overhead.

The ball went flying, past all the bases, Rosalie, and even _Edward_. He turned heel and darted into the trees after it. I stood in shock at the base, mouth wide.

"RUN BELLA!" Emmett shouted, snapping me out of my daze. I took off towards first at top speed as Alice began rounding third and Carlisle was just reaching second. I tagged first and was prepared to stop, but Emmett was shouting for me to keep going. So I rounded the base and headed towards second where Rosalie was waiting for the throw from Edward, whenever he got the ball. Had he caught it? Esme hadn't said "Out" so I assumed not.

"GO, GO, GO, GO, GO!" Emmett screamed and I continued on, past second. Alice was already home and Carlisle was just ahead of me, rounding third. I heard a slight rustle as Edward shot out of the treeline, running at top speed. Carlisle was home and I was at third. Could I make it? I hesitated just a moment before deciding "yes" and sprinted for home.

But Edward was also sprinting in, past Rosalie and Jasper, heading for home. It was a race now, between me and him. And I was determined to win. I put on a burst of speed as we closed in on each other. But what Esme said about Edward in the first baseball game was true. "Emmett hits the hardest, but Edward runs the fastest."

_Oh no_, I thought, as Edward reached home before me. I tried to skid to a stop, but my momentum forward was too much. I ended up sliding into the base, almost like a real ball player. Just before my foot hit the base, I felt Edward tag me with the ball. Then we collided with a great CRASH. It didn't hurt, but it the sound wasn't really expected.

"Out," Esme declared.

Edward helped me up, gently brushing the dirt and grass from my clothing. "Are you alright, Bella?" he asked, concerned.

But I just smiled back at him. "I'm fine, Edward," I reassured him. Then I added, "You got lucky that time."

Edward smiled and laughed before giving me a light kiss on the forehead and running back to the outfield.

"Sorry," I apologized to Emmett, Alice, and Carlisle.

"Nah, it's cool, Bella," Emmett replied, picking up the bat. "_I'm_ up."

"Arrogant jerk," Rosalie called him, muttering from the infield and I couldn't help but chuckle. Alice laughed too.

"You know it, Baby," Emmett called out to her, sending her a kiss before pointing out his hit like Babe Ruth. Jasper pitched and Emmett didn't swing.

"C'mon, Jazzy, right where I like it," he taunted, taking a few practice swings. Jasper pitched again and Emmett tipped it.

"Foul," Esme said.

"C'mon, Emmett," Alice said. "This is yours."

Emmett wound up and as Jasper pitched, took a big swing. Ball and bat collided with a crack to rival my own as Emmett took off. But Edward managed to catch it, even though it went past the trees. Alice was our third out and we switched.

Alice took the pitcher's mound while Carlisle took shortstop. Emmett was about to head to the outfield and leave me as catcher, but he paused.

"Why don't you play outfield, Bella?" he suggested as Edward, Rosalie, and Jasper jogged in.

"Uh, okay?" I replied. I headed to the outfield as Rosalie stepped up for first bat.

"You'll do fine, Bella," Carlisle reassured me once I was out there. "Just catch anything that come out far and throw it to the person with the runner."

"Alright," I agreed, nodding. I took a spot out in the field, sort of in the middle.

Rosalie missed the first two pitches but managed to get some of the third. But Carlisle got that ball and tossed it to Alice at first for an easy out. Esme was next. Last time I'd come, Esme had been the umpire, rather than playing. But now the numbers were even, so she took on the role of both Ump and player. Like Carlisle, she hit the ball towards a hole, but keeping it in the infield. Still, Esme managed to make it to first base and Jasper stepped up. He was strategic, bunting it to get him and Esme on first and second, respectively, and bringing Edward up to bat.

I crouched now, determined to be ready if the ball came my way. I didn't think Edward would settle for just a base hit. Not with two people on base. He would hit it hard, and that was my responsibility.

"Alright, Eddie boy," Emmett razed. "Let's see what you've got."

Edward stepped up to the plate, taking his stance. Even holding a bat over his shoulder, he reminded me of a cat, crouched and ready to spring. Alice pitched and Edward swung and hit the ball with a thunderous boom to echo the rolling thunder just the split second before. I followed the flight of the ball and knew it was coming to the outfield. It wouldn't go beyond the trees though, so I didn't have to worry about that. I _did_, however, have to start running if I was going to catch it. I sped off, my head up, watching the ball and adjusting for its trajectory.

_C'mon, Bella_, I urged myself on. I wasn't going to make it. The ball would land just outside my reach. At the last moment, I leapt for the ball and closed my hand around it as I landed, like a cat, on my feet.

"YEAH BELLA!" Emmett cheered, pumping his fist in the air.

"Way to go, Bella!" Alice added. I smiled and threw her the ball, proud of myself. Edward winked at me from where he'd stopped, between first and second, before heading back to home.

The game went back and forth and I got more comfortable with playing and just being _part_ of the game to the point that I even razed _Jasper_ when he was up to bat. The game ended with our team winning by three points, a homerun I scored. The others cheered me in and Emmett picked me up like I'd just won the World Series for our team, rather than a family baseball game.

"Bella! Bella! Bella! Bella!" Emmett and Alice chanted as the others laughed (except for Rosalie who was a little sulky for losing). When Emmett finally put me down, I found myself in Edward's arms as he smiled down at me.

"Did you enjoy yourself?" he asked.

"Yes," I replied, still grinning like crazy.

"I'm glad," he answered.

"I'm glad I got to play with you," I told him.

"Forget boring old Major League, right?"

"Got that right," I replied.

"Hey lover-boy, coming?" Emmett called as he and the others began to head back for the house.

"We'll catch up," Edward replied.

Emmett grinned and waggled his eyebrows. "Don't do anything _I_ wouldn't do," he replied.

Edward winced, groaning, "No, my eyes."

Emmett laughed before taking off after Rosalie.

"What was that?" I asked.

"Emmett," Edward replied, as if that was all the explanation needed. "Let's hunt, just the two of us," he suggested.

"Okay." I was still thirsty, but during the game it had been on the back burners of my mind. I still felt it, but it wasn't at the forefront of my thoughts. It was just a nagging feeling in the background. But now that Edward suggested it, I felt the thirst come back, full force.

Edward took my hand and we ran in the opposite direction from the others, further into the woods.


	8. Chapter 8: Family

**A/N: And the next chapter in Red Dawn is now up! I liked this chapter, once I got into the swing of things. And I think the next one should be out soon as well, since I'm on a role here! Hope you enjoy this one. Please review!**

**-Wish**

_**Chapter 8: Family**_

The trees flashed by, but my vision remained clear as I ran. I loved the speed and the power of running. I was truly flying when I ran now. And my utter lack of coordination was no longer a problem. Everything felt natural, running, jumping; I could probably do back-flips and still land perfectly balanced, on my feet.

Even through the wind rushing past my ears, I heard the soft thump of footsteps approaching from my right. Automatically I tensed; it was an instinctive reaction that was still ingrained in me, though I knew that whatever it was most likely couldn't hurt me. I was practically invincible now. I skidded to a halt, just in time for whatever it was to lunge from the bushes at the side of the game trail I had been following. I saw a flash of white and bronze before it collided with me, knocking me off my feet and sending me flying through the trees. We collided with the ground (well, more my attacker since I had ended up on top) and rolled for a while, finally coming to a halt. I was pinned to the ground and Edward grinned down at me, his brilliant smile making my breath catch still.

"Edward Cullen!" I scolded mockingly. "Was that really necessary?"

He shrugged and smirked. "Probably not, but are you complaining?" _No,_ was the immediately answer. Lying trapped under Edward was hardly a _bad_ thing! Having him this close to me was intoxicating. I breathed in his wonderful sunshine scent (when I remembered to breathe) all but reveling in this opportunity.

Over the month since I'd been changed by James, Edward had seemed to open up a whole new side to me. I hadn't realized just how much he'd held back to protect me. Now, _I_ had to worry about hurting _him_. My newborn strength was still in effect, though my bright red eyes were slowly taking on a more orange shade from all the animal blood I'd been drinking with the Cullens. We were still in Forks, so I was obviously still confined to the house. The gossip in Forks still revolved around my disappearance a month ago in Phoenix. Apparently Charlie had been working to find me more than he'd been working as Forks' Chief of Police. There were missing person posters all over town and I wouldn't be surprised if Charlie had put it out to other police stations around the nation. I'd expressed this worry with the Cullens, but they hadn't been concerned.

"We we're considering leaving the US anyways," Edward reassured me. "Maybe for Canada, or even someplace overseas. It has been decades since Carlisle was last in England, and they have plenty of rainy days and countryside to suit our needs."

Arrangements were beginning to be made. Slowly, the Cullens were packing up the personal items. They would keep the house in Forks. They liked the area and anticipated returning one day, many decades from now. The thought of returning to Forks in fifty years or something was one I still couldn't wrap my new vampire brain around. What would Forks be like? Would we see the children or grandchildren of people I'd grown up with? Would the little isolated town change, or would it still look like it had when we'd left? It was an odd thought, to be once more walking down the halls of Forks High School, only fifty, sixty, seventy years older. Would I meet a young "Newton"? Surely there would be some familiar names. After all, in small towns like Forks, families tended to stick around. Whole generations would grow up, have families, and get old together. Your mother and father and grandparents would've attended the same school as you, frequented the same haunts. That was how Forks was.

_But how would _I _change?_ Physically, not at all. I would forever remain seventeen, like Edward. I would be doomed to repeat high school over and over again like the rest of the Cullen children. _But at least I'd have Edward and the others, right?_ Would I? A lot could change in that much time. Would I still be with the Cullens? I didn't doubt it. Would Edward and I still be together? Absolutely. What would our relationship be by then? Walking down the hallway with Edward, would I be walking with my boyfriend, fiancée, husband, or just my brother? _I couldn't _ever_ think of Edward as just my brother,_ I resolved. That much I could count on. Whatever became of Edward and I, we would never be just friends or brother and sister.

I didn't actually know _where_ we were going. Only that it wasn't in the United States, so we could avoid Charlie's missing person reports as much as possible. Most likely, we'd be going to Canada, probably some uninhabited corner where I could work on controlling my thirst without running the risk of slipping up. I'd done well so far, extending my time to about four or five days between feedings. It was still rather frequent, but none of the Cullens objected. They shared who went with me. During the day it was typically Esme. But sometimes I would go with Alice or Jasper, or even Emmett and Rosalie. Many times Edward came with me. He didn't always feed, sometimes simply standing aside and watching me. Surprisingly I didn't feel self-conscious about him watching me feed. If anything, I felt further protected. I knew that Edward stood by, if for some reason I needed him. He guarded my back.

As with many times before, Edward had opted to accompany me on my hunt. I had ceased to need the entire Cullen family to be ready to restrain me if for some reason I caught a whiff of human this deep into the Olympic Range. I had a small bit of self-control already. For instance, when a salesman had come a few days before, I had smelled him from Edward's room upstairs, but I had been able to restrain the urge to feed long enough for Esme to graciously usher him away, refusing whatever it was he was attempting to sell her. It had been difficult, but I'd done it and I felt proud of myself for it.

At sometime during the hunt, Edward and I had gotten separated. I hadn't been worried because I knew that he or I could simply backtrack and pick up the other's scent and find each other easily. I actually liked the feeling of being utterly alone in the middle of the forest. It was what spurred me to start running at top speed in the direction of the baseball field.

Edward rolled off of me and I sat up so that we now sat side-by-side in the grass.

"We'll be leaving soon," Edward said. "In a week. We've been spreading the information around. Carlisle has a new job and 'the loss is just too great for me'." I expected some sort of smirk on his part, but his expression was passive as he ran a finger over the hard, smooth skin of my arm. It matched his, feeling warm rather than cold as I was used to before.

"Is anybody suspicious?" I asked.

"No," Edward replied. "They half expected it. Everyone knew about us and when you allegedly ran off and disappeared, well some people thought _I_ should've been put on a _suicide watch_." There was the smirk. The irony of his words, of people's thoughts, was just too great.

"And Carlisle could get a job anywhere," I added. "He could be working in a hospital in the city, making ten times more than he does now. At least…so I've heard." I couldn't remember where I heard the phrase, but I remembered it vaguely. Most of the time that was how my memory was, with the exception of events that had taken place in the last month after my transformation.

"He could," Edward agreed. "But we don't need the money. And smaller towns work better for us. There are less chances of slipping up, and the smaller towns are more remote."

"But isn't the consequences of slipping worse in a small town than they would be in a city?" I asked. "I mean, there are murders every_day_ in the large cities. And with more people, couldn't you blend in more, avoid suspicion?"

"Yes," Edward agreed. "But there is also a greater chance of running into our own kind in the cities. And we have to travel farther when we need to hunt. That's one of the most dangerous times for us to be interacting with humans. We are thirsty, and already have the hunt in mind. We are more likely to lose control. It is better if we can simply slip out our back door and take off into the forest, rather than having to drive or travel through suburbs to get away."

"Oh." Edward's reasoning made just as much sense, of course. I hadn't thought of meeting other vampires. "Are there a lot of other vampires?"

"Not as many as you think," Edward answered. "Our family is one of the largest covens in the world. Only the Volturi have more members."

"Why?"

"Because vampires are predators. We don't get along well in large groups. A mated pair, or even a trio, are fine. But any more than that and conflict begins to arise. Soon somebody says or does the wrong thing and they fight and the weaker, or the less lucky, ends up dead."

"Then why are the Volturi able to have more members? Didn't you say that they aren't like us, they drink from humans?"

"Yes. But the Volturi are a special case. Aro, the Leader, or all intents and purposes, is a collector. Some vampires, like Alice, Jasper, and I, have special talents that set us apart. Aro looks for vampires with these special talents and the best of them he invites to join the Volturi Guard.

"It is a very presitgous honor, to serve on the guard. Hardly anyone refuses. But Aro also has someone who helps _persuade_ people. Her name is Chelsea, and she can sense the emotional and social bonds between people and manipulate them. So, she can make you feel a loyalty to the Volturi and dissolve any attachments you may have to anyone else."

"That's awful!"

"It is a very powerful gift," Edward admitted. "She is a great asset to the Volturi, and part of the reason they are so successful. She helps them feel loyal to each other so that there is no in-fighting, so that they appear as a unified body to outsiders."

I frowned at the thought. "That doesn't seem fair." Manipulating someone like that.

"It is not too far off from what Jasper can do," Edward reminded me. "Jasper can manipulate emotions. While he can't sense the bonds themselves, he can sense the emotions connected to them, and he could change those emotions."

"But Jasper isn't like that."

"No, he doesn't like to affect others' emotions. Not if he doesn't have to. If anything, Jasper prefers to calm people, make them more at ease."

"Is that why _we_ don't have a problem?" I asked. I really hadn't thought of Jasper being the reason why the Cullens got along so well. I always thought it was more than that. But, if Jasper could do something similar to Chelsea, and the Cullens were the second largest "coven" in the world, after Chelsea's _own_ coven, then maybe _he_ was the reason behind it.

"No," Edward said immediately. "Although Jasper does help when things get escalated, he isn't the primary reason we are all together. I thought you would have understood that."

"I didn't think he was," I insisted. "But…"

Edward frowned and there was a few seconds of silence as he seemed to think something over. When he finally spoke again, his words were very careful. "Carlisle has a theory, on why our coven gets along so well, compared to covens of similar, or even smaller, sizes. He thinks it has something to do with the fact that we abstain from drinking human blood. Most of the vampire covens are together out of convenience, or necessity. Numbers means a larger territory, and the ability to protect that territory from _other_ covens.

"But we don't need to worry about territory because we do not have the same food source as most of our kind. So, Carlisle believes that this allows us to form true, emotional bonds, relationships, and helps us to retain aspects of our humanity that others of our kind who drink human blood lose. Such as compromise and logical reasoning." He moved his finger from where he'd been stroking my arm and cupped my chin softly. "And love." He placed a soft kiss on my lips, barely more than a whisper, but I could feel the longing in the gesture. It had been more and more obvious the past month, the _physical_ longing, not just the emotional one.

"So…you're all together because you really do love each other?"

"Silly, Bella," he whispered. "I thought you knew that. I love you." He planted a kiss on my forehead. "And so does Alice, Emmett, Esme, Carlisle, Jasper, and even Rosalie, though she would never admit it. We are a family, even if we aren't related by blood."

_Well in a way you are,_ I thought, and chuckled. Edward looked at me curiously and I explained. "You all drink animal blood, so I guess you sort of _are_ related by blood."

Edward cocked an eyebrow at me. "Alright, I think that's enough fresh-air for you. Time to go back in your coff—"he broke off abruptly, tensed in a half standing position.

"Edward? What is it?" I asked. I couldn't smell anything in the air, but Edward had obviously sensed something.

"How could it-?" he started, but cut off. "Bella, we have to get back to the house, now."

"Why?" I asked, confused by his urgency.

"Trust me, please?"

"I do," I replied firmly.

"Let's go." He pulled me to my feet and we set out back towards the house, Edward leading the way. We took a more circuitous route, but ended up getting back to the house quickly, running at top speed. When we arrived back at the Cullen house, I could hear urgent voices inside.

"—can't see anything. It's blank!" Alice insisted, the panic obvious in her tone.

"We have to call Carlisle," Esme said and I heard the soft beeps as she dialed the phone. Edward and I entered as Carlisle picked up.

"Carlisle, Alice's visions are gone," Esme said.

There was a pause on the other end and then I heard clearly through the receiver. "I'll be home in ten minutes."

"We may not have that long," Edward said. Everyone looked to him at once. "The Quileutes are coming. They think we killed Bella."

**A/N2: Mwahhahaha! A Cliff-hanger! Please review the chapter and tell me what you liked and didn't like and I'll get the next one up sooner!**

**-Wish**


	9. Chapter 9: The Quileutes

**A/N: Yes I know it's been a while and I should be updating Rising Sun, but here's a chapter nonetheless. I hope you like it, and if you can find it in yourself to forgive me and even review, it would be much appreciated!**

**Thanks!**

**-Wish**

_**Chapter 9: The Quileutes**_

"But we didn't kill Bella!" Emmett protested, "She's standing right here!"

"But she's one of us now. By their standards, she _is_ dead," Edward explained.

"How long before they get here, Edward?" Esme asked, still on the phone with Carlisle.

"Three minutes, maybe five if they pause to look around a bit. But they're coming, and there are at least five of them, though there may be more back in La Push."

"Five? But there were only three when we were here last time," Esme said.

"And those three died," Emmett put in.

"I wasn't able to find out all the details," Edward explained. "They weren't exactly thinking about that when I heard them. All I know is they're coming fast and they aren't necessarily here to talk."

"We have to convince them Bella is okay," Alice spoke up.

"Jasper, we'll need you," Edward said, looking to his adopted brother. Jasper nodded solemnly.

"And it would be best if we all presented a united front," he added. "There are only five now. The numbers aren't in their favor, and if they see that we are standing together, they may reconsider. Or they will at least pause long enough to let us explain."

"Carlisle will be home in five minutes, Edward," Esme said before she finally hung up the phone with a whispered goodbye. "That is as fast as he can be here."

"It will have to do," Edward replied. "Bella." He looked to me for the first time since we'd walked in. I'd sort of taken a back seat as the Cullens planned what they were going to do. I felt guilty, that my stupid mistake of going after James alone had cost the family yet again. I had been trying to protect them and my mother at the time, but it seemed everything had only been worse. I'd exposed them to suspicion, had ended up hurting my parents more than I ever would have thought, and now the Cullens were yet again threatened. Of course, I wasn't really sure how. The Quileutes were involved somehow, but what could five humans do against seven vampires?

Other than expose their secret. Would they really do that? Charlie has friends in La Push. _I_ had friends in La Push, Jacob Black. And yes, Jacob had been the one who'd sent me on the track to finding out what the Cullens really were in the first place, but he'd just thought they were old wives tales. He hadn't really believed them.

_But what if some of the Quileutes did?_ Like Billy, or some of the other older Quileutes who were still big on traditions. Oh my gosh, was Billy coming? What would he say when he saw me like this?

"Edward," I started.

"Bella, I need you to stay close to me," he said. "Everything will be okay and we'll explain all of this afterwards. Just, stay close, don't step forward or anything unless I ask you to, alright?"

"But Edward—"

"Do you understand, Bella?" he asked urgently. I could see a bit of desperation and worry in his gold eyes. Edward was worried. That was never a good sign. Edward had been fairly confident, even when chasing James. He'd only been worried for my safety because I was still a fragile human at the time. But I wasn't one anymore. He shouldn't have to worry about me anymore. I was just as strong, just as tough as the others were. In fact, being a newborn, I was stronger.

"Yes," I replied.

"Please, do this for me," he pleaded, I guess hearing the disappointment in my voice. "Just trust me."

"I do, Edward," I insisted. "And I will do as you ask. Don't worry about me. You don't have to anymore."

Edward smiled slightly and gave me a light kiss on my forehead. "I wish that were so."

He looked away just as I was about to ask what he meant by _that_. I hadn't heard anything to draw his attention, and I guess neither had the others, so he must've heard someone's thoughts. "They're regrouping," he murmured. "They found our scents going out and returning and now they are coming to search. They realized there is an extra."

He looked to Esme, "Carlisle just passed within my range. He may be able to make it back just before they come."

I felt a bit of relief, and apparently so did the others judging by the collective sigh, at the news of Carlisle. _Carlisle would make things better,_ I reasoned. _He'd helped form the treaty in the first place._ If anyone could sort this out, he could.

The others shifted closer together as Carlisle's engine came within hearing range. It was still far enough away that I could judge he was still on the highway. _Gotta love vampire super-hearing_, I marveled randomly. Unfortunately, the vampire hearing also revealed a fast thumping, sort of soft like whatever was making the noise was cushioned against the ground. It reminded me of a bear, or maybe a really large mountain lion's pads.

A really large mountain lion that Edward was afraid of._Breathe Bella,_ I told myself. _Carlisle is coming, everything will be okay. You'll show them you're okay and that none of this was the Cullens' fault. They'll believe it out of your own mouth, right?_ Wait a minute. _Mountain lion_ pads? My ears had to have been mistaken. The Quileutes are just people, like Billy and Jake. My dad went, _goes_ fishing with them almost every weekend.

Carlisle's car pulled into the driveway and the thumping came to a stop not too far away. I was sure whatever was making that noise could probably _see_ Carlisle as he pulled up to the house and came inside.

"Edward," Carlisle said, immediately as he walked in.

"They're here Carlisle," Edward replied. "They saw you come in. They know, we know they're here."

"Everybody needs to just remain calm," Carlisle said. "Jasper?"

Jasper nodded, understanding right away. If things got heated, he would be called to cool them down. He needed to be ready.

"I can't see anything Carlisle," Alice said. "I think it's the wolves. I can't see them."

"It's fine Alice," Carlisle reassured her. "Tell me if that changes." He looked to Esme and I saw them exchange a nod. This was the only greeting they had at all. He immediately turned as all of us heard a new sound, the sound of bare feet on gravel. The Quileutes were coming down the driveway, without shoes?

"Bella." Edward stepped in front of me and slowly moved me to the back of the group. Alice was right next to me and she gripped my hand, giving me a comforting squeeze. Well, it was supposed to be comforting, and it might've been if I didn't see the worry on her face. Alice wasn't used to flying blind, she didn't like it, and it scared her. And that scared me. The whole situation scared me. Why couldn't Alice see the Quileutes? Why was Edward, and everyone else, so on edge? And what was making that loud thumping only a few moments ago?

I saw them come into view of the living room where the rest of us were. They came up to the front door but did not come in. Like Edward said, there were five of them and they were all obviously Quileutes from the reservation. But I didn't really recognize them. The lead was the biggest, probably around seven feet tall, with muscles like a body builder. His expression was one of measured calm, but I could see the fury in his eyes. His face might've been composed, but _he_ certainly was not. To either side of him were four more really tall, possibly teenagers, though they looked a bit older. I couldn't see _all_ their faces from the living room, but I could hear their breathing and their heartbeats.

Carlisle turned to the rest of us and nodded, reassuring. "Ready?"

The others, one by one, nodded their agreement. I was the last, not really expecting to have a say in whether we went or not. But Carlisle waited for me, just as he had with the others until I agreed. Only then did he turn and lead the way to the front of the house, and outside to meet the contingent.

Stepping out, I noticed that the Quileutes only seemed to be wearing shorts. Granted, it was getting warmer, but you'd think coming to talk to a family of vampires, they'd at least wear a shirt. I looked to the first one, standing out front and in the center, on point. I definitely didn't recognize him. But my mouth dropped as I saw the face of the boy standing of his right.

"Jake?" There Jacob Black stood, dressed only in shorts, just like the rest of them. He looked to me when I said his name and I watched his expression go from one of composure, like the leader's, to disbelief, to rage. His entire body started shaking as he opened his mouth to say something. But the leader put an arm in front of him, barring his way as he shot him a warning look.

"Stay under control," he growled lowly to Jake. Jake closed his eyes and took a deep breath and slowly the shaking stopped. When Jake opened his eyes again, he avoided me, even though I wanted to catch his eye again, if only to ask if he was alright.

The leader turned away from Jake when the shaking stopped and addressed Carlisle. "So I see we were correct in assuming _you_ were responsible for Bella's death."

"No they're not!" I insisted, not wanting the Cullens to be blamed for _anything_. "It was my fault!"

"Bella," Alice hissed, holding my hand tighter. "Let Carlisle handle it. Trust us."

_I _do, I wanted to say, but didn't as Carlisle took a step forward, palms out in a non-threatening way.

"We have not broken the treaty, Sam," Carlisle said carefully.

"The treaty clearly states that if you _bite_ a human, not necessarily _kill_ them, then it is broken." He gestured to me. "And obviously she was bitten."

"But not by one of us," Carlisle replied. "A group of nomads came through the area and one of their kind began hunting Bella. We tried to keep her safe by taking her to Phoenix, but in the end he found her. He bit her, before we could save her."

Edward tensed in front of me and I automatically placed a hand on his shoulder, an attempt to soothe him. It was Edward's nature to blame himself for something that wasn't his fault, like my encounter with James.

"It never would've happened if _you_ had left her alone," Jake growled.

"We have no way of knowing that," Carlisle replied. "But we are doing the best we can. Bella is learning how to follow our diet and we are taking _special precautions_ so that she is not seen in town and is not a threat."

Now it was my turn to wince, at Carlisle's words. They were entirely true. I was a danger to the humans in town, to my father, my friends, everyone. It made me wish that I could skip the next few years; that I could be just like Edward and the others, under control, able to interact with humans without immediately tearing them to pieces.

Sam, that's what Carlisle had called the leader, still looked suspicious. "How can we be sure that Bella wasn't bitten by one of you?" he demanded.

"I give you my word, what I have told you is the complete truth," Carlisle replied.

Sam scoffed, "The word of a _leech_."

"He's telling the truth!" I insisted. My attention fell to Jake again, begging him to believe me. "Jake, you _know_ I'm a horrible liar. I'm telling you what Carlisle says is true!"

Jake looked up at me and for a second, I almost saw the old Jake. The Jake who was my friend before the incident at the dance studio in Phoenix, before I was changed. The Jake I _still_ counted as my friend. But that Jake was quickly overrun by the angry one that had come with Sam and the other Quileutes from La Push. He didn't say or do anything, not even acknowledging that I had spoken directly to him. He turned away to stare straight ahead.

Carlisle tried to appeal to Sam again. "Sam, we don't want to fight you. The treaty remains unbroken as of now, I assure you. But if you do not believe us, then allow us to leave in peace. Arrangements are already being made."

Sam seemed to consider this, which made me hope. Edward had said earlier that there were only five of them, that the numbers weren't on their side, that they probably wouldn't want a fight. While they initially seemed aggressive and accusing, I had hope, after seeing Sam pause for a moment to consider Carlisle's proposition, that they could be reasoned with.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"We are planning on leaving the country," Carlisle replied. "We don't want to run the risk of Bella being noticed. Canada was our next home."

"Where?"

"That has yet to be settled," Edward spoke up.

"Rest assured it will be in a very sparsely populated area," Carlisle added. "We wish to give Bella the best opportunity at success as possible."

"When are you leaving?"

"In about a week. The announcement is already being circulated."

I felt like I could almost see the resolution in sight. Alice's visions were back as she was constantly staring off into the distance and then coming back to the present. The air, while it was still tense, no longer seemed on the verge of _war_. Finally Sam nodded once.

"Fine. I still don't believe what you say about Bella Swan is true. But if you leave now, we will allow it and we will not hunt you." His others didn't seem so happy with the statement, but they didn't voice any objections. Carlisle nodded, accepting Sam's concession.

"You have one week to leave. If you remain, we will attack."

"Understood."

Sam and the others began backing up. I wanted to step forward, to at least say something to Jake. Maybe he could pass a message on to Charlie. But Alice grabbed my arm, holding me in place. "Don't," she cautioned. "He's one of them, it won't turn out well."

"He's my friend," I whispered back to her.

"He's a _dog_," Rosalie retorted. She turned and headed back into the house, followed by Emmett, then Esme. Edward turned and began ushering me into the house, away from the Quileutes, but I stayed put.

"What did Rosalie mean, he's a dog?" I asked him.

"I'll explain later, Bella," Edward replied. "Can we please go inside?"

My first thought was to stay where I was, insisting that Edward tell me right here, right now. But I realized his request was reasonable, so I allowed him and Alice to escort me back inside. Jasper and Carlisle were just behind us, Carlisle bringing up the rear only after the Quileutes has completely gone. I only waited until he was back before I asked my question again.

"You may not know this or remember this Bella, but this is not the first time our family has stayed in the area."

He was right, I _didn't_ know it, or maybe it was I just didn't remember it. Even though I was trying to retain my human memories, many of them were fading or already faded.

"We lived in Hoquiam the first time. We had been there for a little while when, one day while hunting, we came across a pack of rather interesting _wolves_. These wolves, were shapeshifters. The Quileutes believe that their tribe is descended from wolves, and there is some truth to those tales. Some members of the tribe have the extra ability to shapeshift, into a wolf form that is about the size of a horse. They are considered the 'protectors' of the tribe, and vampires are their ancestral enemies.

"When we first encountered them, there was only three. The leader was Ephraim Black. At the time, there was five of us; they were outnumbered and it had been many years since they had faced a group of vampires, or Cold Ones as they called us, of our size. We insisted that we did not hunt humans, as that seemed to be their main concern, and eventually made a treaty with them. We would not bite a human, or hunt on their lands, and they would not reveal our secret to attack any of us."

"We thought the pack had died out with Ephraim Black," Edward supplied. "When we first came back to Forks, we renewed the treaty and Alice and Jasper signed it with the Quileute elders, not the leader of their 'pack'. But there has been a larger reemergence within the past few years. Sam is their leader now. He was the first to shapeshift among them."

"And more are sprouting up every day!" Emmett added. "It's a good thing we're leaving! This place is going to the dogs!" He laughed, but nobody else did. "Tough crowd," Emmett muttered.

"What's going to happen now?" I asked.

"We're going to leave as we intended," Alice answered. "Carlisle, they're giving you a job in Charlottetown, Labrador, Canada. They need more doctors in their community clinic. It's small, 365 people. I hope you like fish."

"Well we certainly won't find someone who recognizes Bella_ there_," Rosalie commented sarcastically. "I doubt we'll find _anyone_."

"It's just for a short period of time," Carlisle reassured her. "Just until Bella is past her newborn years and she can attend school with the rest of you."

I couldn't help but smile at that thought. One day, I could be a Cullen too. I would be part of their family, wondered about just as I wondered about them when I first saw them. Suddenly I couldn't wait for that day.


	10. Author's Note Read!

**A/N: Great News!**

**To all you fans of Memories, after much research and thoughtful process, I have a fairly detailed outline of what this story is going to look like! So, I hope to get back to updating this more regularly (I know I'm just hands-down, horrible at updating regularly) and hope to try to have this story finished in the next few months! We'll see though. No promises since I have no clue what my work-load is going to look like. I'm aiming to finish this story during Winter Break in December/January.**

**So, please don't give up on me yet!**

**-Wish**


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